Four groups after US$37mn Panama power dispatch project

Panamanian state power transmission company Etesa’s call to boost electricity dispatch from the west of the country has drawn four offers.

The US$37mn project will increase capacity of the 316km, 230kV Veladero-San Bartolo-Llano Sánchez-El Coco-Panamá II line.

The bidders for the 600-day contract are China Electric Power Equipment and Technology, offering US$31.2mn (US$33.4mn with taxes), Consorcio Segunda Línea (Elecnor-Eledepa) US$36.6mn, Consorcio Panamá Repontenciación Linea II (Edemsa-Edemtec) US$37mn, and Consorcio Panama II (Iverco-Neminca) US$33.6mn (US$35.9mn with taxes).

A decision is expected in the coming weeks.

The transmission line runs from Chiriquí province, home to the majority of the country’s hydros – among them the largest, the 300MW Fortuna plant – to Panamá province.

Also Read Panama reports record power load demand and B/. 171 million will be invested this year by Etesa in the improvement of the electric transmission system

TARIFFS

Meanwhile, the cabinet extended to July 31 the special electricity tariff subsidy which was introduced to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and benefits over 1.1mn clients, or 92% of users supplied by power distributors.

The extraordinary tariff stabilization fund (FET) benefits clients who consume up to 750kWh/month.