The distribution companies that make up Cedet will more than double their electricity generation by 2030

The following is a machine translation of a Cedet release

August 2024. Offering more stable electricity rates and ensuring that households, businesses and industries do not lack electricity is the reason why the members of the Chamber of Energy and Telecommunications Distribution Companies (CEDET) announce the construction of several self-generated electricity projects including hydro, wind, solar and biomass for the coming years.

Currently, rural electrification cooperatives and municipal companies together contribute 331 MW to the National Electric System (SEN), from 100% renewable sources. The goal is to increase their electricity generation by 445 MW, that is, more than double compared to current figures.

The above will benefit more than one million people, residents of localities such as: San Carlos, Los Santos, Caraigres, Cartago Rural, Zarcero, Guanacaste, Heredia and Cartago, served by COOPELESCA, COOPESANTOS, COOPEALFARORUIZ, COOPEGUANACASTE, ESPH and JASEC.

Energy security

By 2025, the Heredia Public Services Company (ESPH) will complete the construction of the Quijote I wind farm project, located in San Jorge de Upala. After an investment of $64 million, this park will have a capacity of 33.6 MW. Meanwhile, in that same town, the installation of the San Jorge Wind Farm of 35 MW is being evaluated, with an investment cost of $67 million.

The Nuestro Amo Hydroelectric Power Plant, with a production capacity of 10 MW, located in Las Vueltas de la Guácima and with an investment of $18 million, is currently being defined as a contracting model. The Quijote 2 and 3 wind farms are currently being feasibly studied, together providing 70 MW, for a total investment of $145 million.

In San Carlos, COOPELESCA is analyzing the pre-investment of three projects: the Cooperative Wind Farm, of up to 25.2 MW, for which there is an environmental study issued by the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA) and a feasibility study. The complete feasibility study is also available.

of a 10 MW biomass project; in addition, studies were initiated to install the Tilarán Wind Farm with a production capacity of up to 98 MW.

COOPEALFARORUIZ, together with CONELECTRICAS, will soon begin construction of a 2.5 MW photovoltaic solar park. In addition, the cooperative from Zaragoza is conducting feasibility studies to implement a municipal solid waste gasification project in the western region of the Central Valley. This project would contribute up to 9 MW to the system.

CONELECTRICAS also began technical studies at the pre-feasibility level for the development of a 10 MW solar project.

In the Los Santos area, COOPESANTOS is in the process of negotiating to acquire some private hydroelectric plants, already built, which together would reach an installed capacity of 2.78 MW. In addition, a feasibility study is being carried out to determine the possibility of developing a pilot project for energy generation using municipal solid waste as a base through plasma gasification. Other small-scale solar energy solutions are also being evaluated.

In Cartago, JASEC is moving forward with the Torito II Hydroelectric Project, with a projected generation capacity of 60 MW. The distributor is taking steps to update the project's feasibility study. The estimated execution of the project would be around $250 million.

Innovation and diversification

With an investment of $40 million, COOPEGUANACASTE will build a biomass plant in Palestina de Belén de Carrillo, which will be the first of its kind in Central America,

Non-recoverable solid waste such as shells, leaves, tires, Styrofoam, toilet paper, among others, which normally end up in the trash of the residents of Liberia, Carrillo, Hojancha and Nicoya, will be transformed into electricity and will light the homes of 18 thousand families starting in August 2026. This project will contribute 7.5 MW to the system.

In addition, the Valle Escondido Solar Project was acquired, which will add 6.4 MW to the installed capacity of Coopeguanacaste's energy matrix in 2024. In 2025, the Huacas solar project will be expanded by 2.5 MW, and in 2026, the launch of three solar parks is planned: the Southern Cone Solar Park with 10 MW, the Palestine Solar Park with 9.6 MW, and the Cacao Solar Park with 1.4 MW.

In 2029, the cooperative plans to increase the capacity of the Río Naranjo Wind Farm from 9 MW to 51 MW, providing energy security to more than 65 thousand Guanacastecan homes.

“Cooperatives and municipal companies are an important part of generating energy for the development of the country. In this way, the system is more stable and all communities have access to electricity because demand continues to increase in homes, industry and commerce,” says Allan Benavides, president of CEDET.

At the national level, electricity demand in 2023 increased by 3.56%, according to the Annual Report of the Division of Operation and Control of the Electrical System (DOCSE).

“With these projects we can stabilize rates and have more sustained planning to maintain leadership in green energy production to avoid becoming dependent on hydrocarbons to produce electricity,” confirms Erick Rojas, vice president of CEDET.