During 2020, imports of electrical wires and cables in Nicaragua and Guatemala increased in year-on-year terms, and in the cases of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama they decreased considerably.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"].
Empresa Nacional de Energía Electrica de Honduras is bidding for the supply, installation and commissioning of meters to be used in the Metering System of the National Transmission Network.
Honduras Government Purchase AIHMER-13-LPI-B:
"The contract price will include all materials and labor required for the complete execution of the works and the correct and complete execution of the works, as well as equipment, auxiliary and protection elements, tools, auxiliary labor, and generally everything related to a complete and perfect finish of each of the energy meters to be installed in the National Transmission Grid indicated in these bidding documents, as well as any indirect costs of the works, general expenses, wages, salaries, fees, hauling of materials and any other payment required in the work.
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a loan for the Nicaraguan government to continue financing the National Program for Sustainable Electrification and Renewable Energy.
The resources will be used to carry out works of "Rural Electrification by Extension of Networks" and "Normalization of Service in Settlements", which guarantees that through the expansion of electricity coverage by connecting to the electricity distribution network, 35,000 homes in 1,278 rural communities will benefit nationwide, and the normalization of electricity supply to 79,050 homes in 402 urban settlements, reported the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
Empresa Nacional de Energía Eléctrica de Honduras tenders for the supervision and management of projects to expand electrical substations and build new ones.
Honduras Government Purchase ENEE-61-SBCC-CF-:
"This project consists of the supervision and management of the following projects:
Tender 1
Batch 1:
1. Construction of the Simple Transmission Line in 138 KV between the Miraflores-Laínez Electric Substations
The Empresa Nacional de Energia Electrica de Honduras tenders the supply and installation of the structures in a 69 kv line section of the L-424 circuit, between the Danlí and Chichicaste substations, and a 34.5kv line section of the L358 circuit, located in San Nicolas Copan.
The Empresa Nacional de Energia Electrica de Honduras (Honduran National Electric Power Company) is putting out to tender at the international level a high-level individual consultancy service for the preparation of specialized terms of reference and budgets to strengthen the country's electricity transmission capacity.
Due to the drop in economic activity generated by the covid-19 crisis, a 7.9% reduction in domestic electricity consumption was reported in the region between March and June 2020, when compared to the levels of the same period in 2019.
Regarding the reduction of internal consumption of electricity in the countries from March to June 2020, we have that Guatemala had a drop in its demand of 239 GWh (Gigawatt hours), which corresponds to 6.6% compared to the consumption of electricity in 2019, in the case of El Salvador with a reduction of 335 GWh, equivalent to 15.4%, says a report from the Regional Operating Agency (EOR).
The authorities announced that a 3% reduction in the price of electricity will be applied as from July 1st, a reduction that would be not enough in the current context of tariff increases.
The Government informs that as of July 1st of this year 2020, Nicaraguan families will enjoy a 3% reduction in electricity rates, which in addition to benefiting the users of the energy service, contributes to guarantee the technical and economic stability of the Electricity Sector, says an official statement.
Empresa Nacional de Energia Electrica de Honduras tenders for the expansion of the San Buenaventura substation.
Honduras Government Purchase ENEE-2-LPI-O:
"The scope for the expansion of the substation consists of the supply, design engineering, installation, transfers, spare parts, factory and on-site testing, and commercial operation.
The contractor will have to build a bay with two power switches that will connect to a feeder to receive the new transmission line coming from San Pedro Sula South Substation, which consists of the supply and installation of electromechanical equipment in the substation yard such as 230kV power switches, 230kV potential transformers, 230kV lightning arresters, 230kV three-pole disconnectors, metallic support structures for major and minor equipment, 230kV inductive potential transformers for the substation's own service.
Arguing that there is a risk that energy transactions in the region will become more expensive, Guatemalan businessmen are asking the outgoing government to refrain from approving or signing reforms to the Central American Electricity Market Framework Treaty.
Because on January 10 the discussion is programmed within the Director Council of the Regional Electric Market of Central America (CDMER), the subscription of the Third Protocol, which would reform the Framework Treaty of the Electric Market, the private sector of Guatemala has issued an alarm before any change in the regulations, since it could cause increases in the prices of energy transactions or generate negative effects in the Guatemalan market and its interconnection with Mexico.
From January to June 2019, 52 environmental impact studies were presented to carry out works on electricity networks and build power generation plants in different areas of Central American countries.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business 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.
About $200 million is estimated to be invested in improvements to the Central American network, both nationally and regionally, to avoid the recurrence of service interruptions that occurred days ago.
On September 16, a power failure in Honduras caused the interruption of the service of approximately 40% of the area that make up the Central American countries that are interconnected.
Electricity generators claim that the Regional Operator Entity arbitrarily disconnects Guatemala from the rest of the countries in the region, and that since 2016 up to date the disconnections already add up to 600 hours.
The National Association of Generators of Guatemala (ANG) claims that the Regional Electricity Interconnection Commission (CRIE) does not comply with the resolutions of the Central American Court of Justice (CCJ), which ordered Guatemala to stop disconnections from the regional electricity system.
In Nicaragua, the supply of goods and related services of the Villa Nueva substation and civil works in the 138 Kv El Sauce - Villa Nueva Transmission Line are tendered.
Nicaragua Government Purchase 11/2019:
"Some descriptions of the supplies and works to be carried out:
Lot I: Villa Nueva Substation and Expansion of El Sauce Substation