Costa Rica starts connecting 20 MW solar project

Costa Rica starts connecting 20 MW solar project The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) has begun the process of connecting the Los Tecales photovoltaic solar plant to Costa Rica’s national electricity system. ICE is conducting technical tests to verify the proper functioning of the equipment and its integration with the national grid. Once this process is complete and compliance with the system’s operating standards is verified, the plant can begin commercial operation. The 20 MW plant, developed by Solar Generation Sur SA, is located in the canton of Nandayure within the province of Guanacaste. It is part of a group of five private photovoltaic projects awarded by ICE in April 2024, with a combined installed capacity of 86 MW. The other projects are Numu (20 MW), Colorado (16 MW), Los Mangos (10 MW), and Las Cañas (20 MW). They are all located in the province of Guanacaste and were awarded with an energy purchase price of $0.05626/kWh. The awarding of these projects is part of the renewable energy expansion plan announced by ICE in 2024, which includes the addition of 270 MW of solar capacity between 2024 and 2026, along with 122 MW of wind power and 20 MW of biomass. The strategy aims to meet the projected growth in electricity demand, diversify the generation mix, and strengthen the country’s energy security in the face of increased hydrological variability. In addition to these private projects, ICE is moving forward with the development of its own photovoltaic power plants, including the 66 MW Colorado ICE and 78 MW Las Delicias projects, alongside the 10 MW San Antonio project. Costa Rica had installed 83 MW of solar by the end of last year, according to figures compiled by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a 10 MW increase on the year prior. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected]. Please login to comment