November 7, 2019 is the new date for the receipt of tenders in the tender for the construction of the 230 Kv Sabanitas - Panama III Transmission Line and associated substations.
The initial date for receipt of tenders was August 6, but because some companies interested in submitting proposals asked for the extension of the deadline, the authorities of Empresas de Transmisión Eléctrica, S.A.
In Panama, the construction of the 230 Kv Sabanitas - Panama III Transmission Line and associated substations is tendered.
Panama Government Purchase 2019-2-78-0-03-LP-011271:
"The contract includes the performance of the following works:
-Supply, Assembly and works related to the Construction of the Panama III Sabanitas Line, specifically from the Mocambo sector where the Panama III Substation will be located to Sabanitas, Colón where the Sabanitas Substation will be located.
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.
March 28 is the new date to present proposals for the design, construction and operation of the Fourth Electric Transmission Line in Panama.
The modification to the terms of the public tender was carried out by the Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica (Etesa) at the request of the companies pre-qualified in the process.
The project includes the study, design, detailed engineering, construction, supply and installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the Fourth Transmission Line Chiriquí Grande - Panama III, 500kV and Associated Substations.
Companies from China and Canada took part in the prequalification process to design and build the Fourth Electric Transmission Line in Panama.
Last Friday Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica, S.A. (ETESA)received documents from Interconexión Eléctrica, S.A., China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd., Chiriquí Transmisora de Energía, Consorcio Four Seasons, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Consortium and TBEA Co., Ltd., companies interested in the construction work.
The National Electricity Transmission Company in Panama forecasts that during 2018, 1.796 MW will be consumed in the country, 6% more than in 2017.
The "Plan for the Expansion of the National Interconnected System", prepared by the National Electricity Transmission Company (Etesa), predicts that " ... electric power consumption in the National Interconnected System could see growth rates in the order of 5, 5% to 6.1% as an annual average, for the fifteen years of the projection (2017-2031)."
In 2017, electric energy exports totaled $103 million, 104% more than was sold in 2017, reversing the falls registered in the two previous years.
According to figures from the Banco de Guatemala, over the past year the country sold abroad a monthly average $8.5 million worth of electricity, with the Central American region being the main destination market.
Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica de Panamá is putting out to tender work to increase capacity of the transmission lines Mata de Nance - Veladero and Guasquitas - Veladero.
Government Purchase Panama 2017-2-78-0-99-LP-008767:
"Supply, assembly and works related to increasing the capacity of the existing line Mata de Nance - Veladero 230 KV: the driver of the Transmission Line Mata de Nance - Veladero (lines 230-5B / 6C) will be changed to a special high-temperature, low-sag (HTLS) conductor. The scope of work is described in the Standard Specifications, Chapter III, Part 2, Technical Specifications, Transmission Lines.
A Congress of the Guna indigenous people will reconsider whether to allow the execution of the works needed to complete the grid to connect the isthmus with South America.
The Ministry of Government asked the Guna General Congress for authorization to conduct field studies in areas in the indigenous region that cross one of the proposed routes for the interconnection.According to a study commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Route 2,"... which passes through the Guna Yala and Embera regions and the Hydrologic Reserve of Serrania del Darien ... is the most viable in terms of ecological conservation and cost."
Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica de Panamá is putting out to tenders works on the transmission line Mata de Nance - Veladero and on the Panama II and Llano Sanchez substations.
Panama Government Purchase 2016-2-78-0-99-LP-006983:
"Increasing Capacity of the 230 KV Mata de Nance - Veladero Transmission Line ."
A report by Conservation Strategy Fund considers four options for the layout of the power line between Colombia and Panama.
While the main companies involved in the project, Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica S.A. and the Colombian state run Interconexión Eléctrica (ISA), are still in the "feasibility and design" phase, the Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF), "an international organization that trains people in the use of economic science to protect forests, rivers and other ecosystems", has drawn up a report on the financial costs, environmental, social and security risks, and suggested "... four possible routes on which to develop the power interconnection project. "
An environmental impact study has been presented in Panama to build a 17km, 230 kV transmission line, as well as an electrical substation in the province of Colon.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study submitted to the Ministry of Environment in February 2016 by Gas Natural del Atlantico S. R.L., indicates that the development will be called "Proyecto de Interconexión" (Interconnection Project), and will be located in the province of Colon, district of Colon, in Sabanitas.
An environmental impact study has been presented for the increase up to 35 MW the capacity of the 'Central Azucarero Jiboa' plant in the department of San Vicente.
In the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in February 2016 by Ingenio Central Azucarero Jiboa S.A., it indicates that the development will be named "Expansion in electricity generation to 34.9 MW" and will be located at the same site as the mill Kilometer 68 ½ on the road from San Vicente to Zacatecoluca in Canton San Antonio Caminos, in the municipality of San Vicente.
Transmission lines in the regional SIEPAC system are being used to distribute electricity internally in countries, curtailing their capacity for international exchange of energy.
When the US President Barack Obama visited Central America in 2013, he warned that "energy costs in this region are three times what electricity costs in Washington, and that represents a huge disadvantage for companies".Two years before that, all countries, from Guatemala to Panama, were committed to creating the necessary infrastructure for the Regional Electricity Market (MER) to be efficient.
The Nicaraguan government's plan for this year includes substantial investments in electricity coverage and electrification.
From the Plan of the Government of Nicaragua 2016:
NATIONAL ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION COMPANY AND MINISTRY OF ENERGY (ENATREL AND MEM)
In 2016 we will reach a national electricity coverage rate of 90%, electrifying 86,553 urban and rural houses, serving more than 452,000 protagonists with the construction of 623 kilometers of electricity distribution networks in: Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Estelí , Granada, Jinotega, León, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, RAAN, RASS, Rio San Juan and Rivas.