AES Panamá secures extensions for solar licenses

Panama’s public services regulator Asep has granted AES Panamá additional time to advance early-stage solar projects for a combined 46.5MW.

The planned photovoltaic parks are Corotú, Los Santos II and III, and Pedasí, each 9.96MW, and the 6.64MW Estí II.

The country’s largest electricity generator now has until August 8 to submit required documents to secure the definitive licenses for Corotú and Pedasí, and until August 9 for the others.

The watchdog said it has “noted that the company has provided evidence of its progress and the status of the necessary procedures to obtain the final license.”

Among the reasons for requesting the extensions, AES highlighted the submission of updated letters of intent of the contractor that will be responsible for the projects’ design and engineering.

And that regarding Corotú and Estí, there was a “delay in the development work of the project, as well as the financing mechanisms.”

The projects are part of AES Panamá’s growth strategy to more than double its installed solar capacity which currently comes from plants Caoba, Cedro, Mayorca and Pesé. These came online in 2021 and each boasts 9.97MW.

The US group’s other non-conventional renewable energy holding in Panama is wind operator UEP Penonomé I (55MW).

Also read Cobre Panamá, AES sign agreement to supply clean energy from 2024

AES Panamá’s other installed capacity comes from the Central American nation’s largest power plant, the 381MW Colón natural gas-fired complex, and 705MW in hydro plants.

In addition, the company is participating in the 670MW Gatún gas-fired project.