Two social welfare institutions are considering whether to invest $90 million in gas generation plants to sell electricity to the National Electric Power Company.
In order to cover the increased demand which arises in seasons of highest energy consumption, the National Institute of Retirement and Pensions for Employees and Officials of the Executive Branch (INJUPEMP) and the Honduran Social Security Institute are considering investing in power generation based on gas. The investment would mean allocating about $90 million to the purchase of mobile plants to sell supplies to the National Electric Power Company.
The Maritime Authority has signed an agreement with the Port of Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA, as part of the strategy to attract new customers within the logistics sector for liquefied natural gas.
From a statement issued by the Panama Canal Authority:
The Panama Canal has signed a cooperation agreement with the Port of Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States, as part of the strategy to attract new customers in the market for liquefied natural gas (LNG) taking advantage of the benefits afforded by use of the expanded Canal.
The government has announced its interest in measuring the commercial potential of any possible deposits while projecting a center for regional distribution for Liquefied Natural Gas.
Projections are that new permits will be granted for oil and gas exploration in the province of Darien and on the Caribbean coast.
Victor Urrutia, Secretary of Energy, told Prensa.com that "...
The National Public Services Authority has revoked the final license granted to Panama NG Power for the construction and operation of a power plant in the province of Colón.
From the order given by the National Authority for Public Services in Panama (ASEP):
It is resolved:
"... FIRST: DECLARE CANCELED the Final License granted to the company NG POWER PANAMA, SA, registered in the Public Registry on Listing 691,187 of Document 1725036 of the Microfilm Section (Mercantile), by Resolution No.7333 AN-Elec of 6 May 2014, as amended by Resolution No.7369 AN-Elec on May 21, 2014, to develop a project for thermal generation using natural gas for electricity generation, called Telfers, to be located in the town of Cristobal, in the district and province of Colon, with an installed capacity of 670 MW. "
Although it is not yet clear how it will be financed, representatives from both governments have started to work on the technical and legal details of the project.
Elperiodico.com.gt reports that "... Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has put forward a scenario in which includes gas produced by Mexico and the gas imported from the US. The cost is estimated at around US $737 million and the execution would be carried out between 2016 and 2017.
Pacific Energy has announced that it has signed the lease contract for the space which will be used for its plant in the port of Acajutla and has completed the EIS.
Energía del Pacifico (EDP) announced that progress that has been made on three specific areas: the environmental impact study, holding an day for providing information and public consultation with the residents of the area where the plant will be located, and the signing of the contract for lease of the space to be used in the Port of Acajutla.
The Public Services Authority has denied extension request by Panamá NG Power S.A. to submit information on funding for the 670 MW plant.
Prensa.com reports that "... The requirement for 'financial closure', or definition of project financing, must be presented on October 31st this year, but the company asked the Asep, on 27 August, for an extension for its submission. "
At the First Meeting of the Working Group on Gas Interconnection between Mexico and Guatemala it was agreed to boost the studies that will support an eventual pipeline in the Southeast region of Mexico and its extension to Central America.
Although as early as May of this year the government of Guatemala announced the signing of an agreement containing the project details, it is only now that Mexico has officially announced agreements to provide "specific working groups for further analysis on the issues of quantification of current and future demand in Guatemala and in the regional market as well as on the regulatory, financial and commercial, budgetary, and natural gasnaspects."
An environmental impact study has been presented for the construction of a plant for power generation based on natural gas called Tocumen, in the province of Panama.
The company SoEnergy S. de RL Panama has presented an environmental impact study for the construction and operation of a power generation plant based on natural gas in the village of Tocumen, district of Panama, province of Panama.
A design has been presented for a power generating plant of 355 MW based on natural gas to be constructed in Acajutla and which will begin operating in 2018.
The project, to be developed in Acajutla, Sonsonate department also includes the construction of a floating storage tank, another ground storage tank, a spring, a generating power plant and associated transmission line.
AES Panama has presented the government with a proposal to build a power generation plant and a port terminal for transferring the gas.
With an investment which would be around $350 million AES Panama is proposing building a power generation plant based on gas, which would help alleviate the power supply problems affecting the country. The plan also includes the construction of a port terminal for easy transport and storage of gas.
Like the entire private sector, the Association of Free Zones of Costa Rica is complaining about the high cost of electricity and lack of concrete actions to resolve the situation.
Before considering Petrocaribe, companies operating under this regime in Costa Rica are suggesting a further diversification of the energy matrix in order to lower costs.
The oil company Perenco has completed construction of a plant capable of generating 12 MW using oil-based fuel and 2 MW using natural gas.
Using the power plant for the business operation, the company´s projection is to "... save nearly $6 million in the cost of oil production per year."
Prensalibre.com reports that "...this plant was constructed with high-tech equipment and consists of a 12 MW generator powered by fuel oil and combustible oil, waste from oil distillation, and it produces 2 MW from natural gas, a resource produced from the oil. "
Energy EPM which already has a presence in Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama, has reaffirmed its interest in the region with the opening of another branch.
From a statement issued by EPM Group:
The Board of EPM authorized at its meeting on Tuesday the establishment of a branch of its organization in Costa Rica as part of an internationalization strategy that seeks to explore new business opportunities in the neighboring country, listed as one of EPM's target markets.
Private sector leaders have asked President Evo Morales to start negotiations for the import of gas at a cost of $500 thousand per year.
The Chairman of the Bolivian State Power Corporation, YPFB, along with the Ministry of Hydrocarbons would be responsible for negotiating supply to the Central American country, according to statements by the nation's President Evo Morales.