Guatemala's National Electrification Institute was awarded the contract to supply 63 MW of power for the period from May 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020.
In a tender process convened by Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala, S.A. (EEGSA), the Instituto Nacional de Electrificación (INDE) was awarded the contract for the energy supply, after this participant offered the lowest price.
Central American countries do not take advantage of the electric transmission line that connects them, because the poor infrastructure at the local level prevents the exchange of energy at the maximum level.
Managers of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) believe that the lack of electrical installations, especially in the stations of each country, are an obstacle to achieve a reduction in final tariffs to consumers.
During 2018, 39 environmental impact studies were presented in the countries of the region to build energy generating plants and work on electricity grids, projects estimated at $455 million.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, includes an up to date list of public and private construction projects for which environmental impact studies (EIA) were submitted to the respective institutions of each country.
After several years of carrying out studies of the work, the governments announced that they plan to begin working on the standardization of regulations to sign the agreement of the electrical interconnection project.
In a press release published on March 19, Panama's Presidency stated that Panama's Energy Secretary, Victor Urrutia, informed that the Agreement required for the implementation of the electric interconnection project that will link the Andean and Central American systems will soon be signed.
The National Electric Transmission Company tenders the construction of networks and installation of primary distribution networks in different regions of the country.
Nicaragua Government Purchase 1/2019:
"The contract consists of the construction of Primary and Secondary Distribution Networks in 72 energy areas with 1,230 projects distributed in the Managua Sector with 43 projects, Western Sector with 16 projects, Southern Sector with 10 projects, Northern Sector with 3 projects, grouped in six (6) lots respectively.
With the entry into operation of the fourth phase of the Renace hydroelectric complex in Alta Verapaz, the project has reached a generation capacity of 301 MW.
Representatives of Corporación de Multiinversiones (CMI), owner of the energy project Recursos Naturales y Celulosas (Renace), explained that the fourth phase of the project began testing in September 2018 and went into commercial operation in January of this year.
In Guatemala, interested companies are invited to participate in the energy supply contracting process, which will run for one year and begin in May 2019.
Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala, S.A. (EEGSA) called on all electricity generating companies to participate in the tender process for the purchase of electric power for the supply of final distribution service users for the timeframe from 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2020.
In Central America and the Dominican Republic, the installed capacity of energy generation reaches nearly 20,000 MW, of which 62% correspond to clean sources.
Figures compiled by the Latin American Energy Organization (Olade) indicate that by 2017 the installed capacity of clean or renewable energy generators, including wind, hydro, solar and geothermal, exceeds non-renewable sources.
During 2018, the country registered exports of electric energy for $181 million, 76% more than reported in 2017, and its main buyers were El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.
The most recent data from the Bank of Guatemala show that last year Guatemala sold $119 million in electricity to El Salvador, $37 million to Honduras, $1.2 million to Nicaragua and $930,000 to Costa Rica.
Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala is preparing three tenders for the energy supply, which will be for one, four and fifteen years.
Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala, S.A. (EEGSA) reported that the first tender it has planned is a one-year contract from May 2019 for the supply of 71 MW.
After a $7.4 million investment, Transportista Eléctrica Centroamericana launched the power transmission work that will link the substations of Iztapa and Taxisco.
The completed work that will connect the substations in the departments of Escuintla and Santa Rosa, was awarded in January 2015 and consists of 16 kilometers. These works are part of lot D of the National Transmission Expansion Plan (Petnac).
National Electric Energy Company of Honduras tenders at international level the supply of electrical energy and solid capacity of 17 MW.
Honduras Government Purchase LPI-031-2018:
"Announces the International Public Tender to contract 17MW of solid capacity and its associated energy in a block, for up to twelve (12) months. This is because of the operating condition of the eastern zone that is fed through a 150 km line at a voltage of 69 kV from the Santa Fe Substation in Tegucigalpa.
In Guatemala, the upward trend shown by tariffs in 2018, because of the 10% drop in hydroelectric generation and the increase in production with coal and oil derivatives, could continue this year.
The National Commission of Electric Energy (CNEE) reported that last year energy tariffs increased between 5% and 7% in the three largest distributors: Eegsa, Deocsa and Deorsa.
The National Institute of Electrification of Guatemala tenders the remote access network maintenance of meters and relays.
Guatemala Government Purchase 9616101:
"The ETCEE Central System has a network for remote access to relays and meters both from its own substations and from private companies connected to the ETCEE network. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the relays and meters at any time, especially on a contingency basis.
From January to November last year, the country exported $165 million in electricity to Mexico and Central America, 73% more than in the same period in 2017.
The Report of the Monetary, Exchange and Credit Policy of the Banco de Guatemala, details that the energy exportations are mainly caused by the investments made in the electricity transmission network of the country, which has allowed satisfying the increase of the demand coming from El Salvador and Honduras.