CentAm roundup: Service quality, transmission tenders, grid boost

Power interruptions in Costa Rica were more frequent last year and the cuts lasted two hours more on average than in 2022, according to public services regulator Aresep.

“As is typical in our country for having an overhead electrical network, external causes were the ones that mostly gave rise to interruptions in the electrical supply: 57.9%, and of them the contact of flora and fauna with the network was the main cause of interruptions: 68.1%,” the watchdog said in its annual power supply service quality report.

Aresep called on companies to fast-track the modernization of the meter park with smart meters to support the establishment of future smart grids.

The report is available in the Documents box in the top right corner.

Transmission tenders

Panama’s state power transmission company Etesa awarded Celmec a US$4.49mn contract to replace 230kV interrupters at the Chorrera substation.

The other bidders were Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios and Ingeniería y Productos Electromecánicos.

Meanwhile, a call for a US$8.57mn contract to add a transformer at the San Bartolo substation fell through because no offers were submitted.

Grid boost

Honduras’ state power company Enee put into operation 20MW of capacity at the San Isidro substation in La Ceiba, Atlántida department, as part of efforts to address the country’s energy crisis.

At the event to mark the startup of the new capacity, energy secretary and Enee head Erick Tejada announced that the 104MW Patuca III hydro was back online.

Read The Patuca lll Hydroelectric Power Plant has reached its minimum operating level and has ceased power generation