In view of the possibility of energy rationing for the summer season in Honduras, businesspeople are calling for the tender processes for the supply of electricity to be speeded up.
As a result of the debt that the National Electric Energy Company has with the generators, the business sector fears that in 2020 there will be rationing in the supply of electricity.
For the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise (Cohep), it urges that the Honduran government cancel the debt to the power generators, which totals about $568 million. If the obligations are not paid, severe service rationing could be reported in the middle of next year, according to productive sector forecasts.
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad will have to sell surplus power generated in 2015 and 2016 in the regional electricity market as a way of "transfering the benefits" to domestic rates.
From a statement issued by the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (Aresep):
The Mayor of Energy, Juan Manuel Quesada said that "during the years 2015 and 2016 it is likely that a surplus of electricity will be generated, which is why the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) must be ready to continue seizing the opportunities provided in the Regional Electricity Market ".
Industrialists have opposed the rate increase requested by the state power company describing it as inconsistent with the recent announcement by the government to maintain a flat fee for 18 months.
From a press release issued by the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica (ICRC):
Industrialists ask ARESEP to reject the rate increase requested by ICE
The guild is demanding the government to open up the market in order to allow companies to buy energy from abroad and reduce dependence on state power supplies.
The private sector is seeking to solve the energy crisis in Honduras by asking for regulation to be made flexible in order to allow direct import of energy for companies.
Because of problems in power plants the capacity for energy supply has been reduced from 1,400 MW to 1,200 MW, not enough to meet demand which now reaches 1,375 MW.
The energy crisis in Honduras has already forced the ENEE to ration the supply of energy in order to supply the entire country, albeit intermittently.
In the first five months of the year the country bought nineteen times more energy than the in the whole of 2012 and in 2015 it is projected that 200 MW will be purchased abroad.
While it is expected that in the coming years several renewable energy generation projects will start up, Panama is already planning to alleviate possible shortages in the short term by importing energy from neighboring countries.
Generators have reported energy theft, kidnapping from substations, staff being held hostage and looting of equipment and facilities.
Calling on the authorities and the Public Ministry to implement measures to combat insecurity and act against the "anti-projects" groups who are opposing the operation of power plants in various parts of the country, representatives from the sector reported that in the renewable energy category alone, these conflicting groups are holding up 12 projects in Huehuetenango, Alta Verapaz and Zacapa, with a total generating capacity of 355 megawatts.
It is now compulsorily for commercial and industrial companies to use their own electricity generators during the hours of 11 am to 3 pm.
From a statement issued by the National Government of Panama:
The Government has announced to all citizens mandatory measures for energy saving throughout the country in light of the long dry season that has affected hydro reservoirs.
The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama is asking companies to supply themselves with electricity using their own emergency generators.
A statement from the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) reads:
The lack of an electrical transmission line from hydropower plants in Chiriquí stands out against the backdrop of energy rationing being suffered in Panama.
Meanwhile, the Electricity Transmission Company (Etesa) will have to compensate the losses which the generators AES Panama and ENEL Fortuna "...
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad has two thermal power plants which can generate 35 megawatts and is available whenever Panama needs them.
"The electricity would be generated from the combustion of diesel in two plants (Barranca and San Antonio) which the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) has not yet used for meeting local demand because its operation is very expensive," reported Nacion.com.
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