Central America power roundup

AES El Salvador and Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI) joined forces to develop the US$160mn, 100MW Bósforo solar project, which will be operated by AES Soluciones and built by Isotron, while Jinko will supply the PV modules.

The US$47mn first phase includes 10MW plants in the municipalities of Pasaquina, La Unión and El Carmen in La Unión department that will begin operations in March, May and July, respectively.

The second and third phases envision 40MW and 30MW, respectively, and will be carried out over two years. OPIC, CABEI, FMO and Finnfund are financing 70% of the overall project.

Pictured: Bósforo groundbreaking ceremony (CREDIT: AES El Salvador)

Read El Salvador flips switch on 1st solar park

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Panama's energy department has invited US firms to develop smart grid investment roadmap technical assistance after the US Trade and Development Agency awarded the department a grant to support the deployment of such technologies.

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Nicaragua's state power company Enel said that feasibility studies to further define the geothermal potential of the Mombacho and Cosigüina areas are due to begin in the coming months.

Enel also reported that the interconnection of the Momotombo and San Jacinto-Tizate geothermal plants with the Central America regional grid is ready, that prefeasibility geoscientific studies for project Casita-San Cristobal are complete and that a new well is being drilled at San Jacinto-Tizate.

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Guatemala's wholesale power market administrator AMM reported commercial startup of the second of two units at the 59.4MW HidroXacbal Delta hydroelectric project in Quiché department, which belongs to Energía Limpia de Guatemala.