Central America to add 1.2GW, led by gas to power

Central America’s installed power generation capacity is expected to increase 1,195MW by January 2023, according to regional grid Siepac operator EOR.

The forecast additions correspond to 26 projects in construction based on national expansion plans and information supplied by stakeholders, EOR said in its 2021-22 planning report.

The bulk of capacity will come from natural gas-fired plants (680MW), followed by solar (217.6MW), hydro (201.4MW), wind (66MW) and bunker (30MW).

The gas-to-power projects are Energía del Pacífico’s 380MW complex in El Salvador and New Fortress Energy’s 300MW undertaking in Nicaragua, both penciled in to come online in 2022.

This year, among the larger plants scheduled to enter service, are hydros Patuca III (104MW) in Honduras and 3 de Febrero (65.7MW) in El Salvador, and Panama wind farm Toabre (66MW).

Source: EOR

EOR added that the region's available installed generation capacity in December stood at 18,122.5MW, of which 41% was hydro, 26.5% thermo, 6.9% wind, 6.9% biomass, 6.3% solar and 3.1% geothermal.

The outlook projects that hydro will cover 55% of Central America’s demand, thermo 23%, wind and solar 12%, geothermal 8% and 2% from Mexico via Guatemala.

Regarding electricity use, the grid operator estimates that regional demand this year will grow 5.6% to 55,397GWh and 3.8% in 2022 to 57,524GWh.

“According to the conditions foreseen for the regional electricity system and according to the results of the energy reliability indicator, it is concluded that the estimated generation capacity is sufficient to supply the demand requirements, and that the transmission network supports the flows conveniently from generation points to consumption centers,” highlights the 99-page planning document, available here, in Spanish.

Source: EOR

Also Read COVID-19 forces Central America to retool power dispatch plans and At a Glance: Post-pandemic energy demand, trade in Central America 

GUATEMALA

In a related note, Guatemala’s wholesale market administrator AMM reported that of 12 hydros that went offline in November due to hurricane Eta, three have yet to resume operations.

The three plants are Palo Viejo, Xacbal Delta and Oxec I and represent a combined 165.8MW, local paper Prensa Libre quoted AMM president Edgar Navarro as saying.