Panama reports record power load demand

Panama set an electricity load demand record of 2,031MW on Wednesday, state power transmission company Etesa reported.

Etesa general manager Mosquera Castillo said the record broke the previous high of 2,020MW set on May 20 last year.

Installed capacity in January was 3,262MW.

“Although the historical increase in the demand for electrical energy cannot be attributed to a single factor, the reactivation of the various economic, productive, industrial and commercial sectors - and even the return to face-to-face classrooms at all educational levels - have undoubtedly influenced the increase in energy consumption,” the company added.

The 2,031MW surpassed projections in Central America grid operator EOR’s 2022-23 operational planning report.

Amid this uptick, Etesa called on the country to maintain rational energy consumption and make use of low-consumption, efficient equipment.

In recent weeks, the government released a preliminary national strategy for the rational and efficient use of energy.

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Meanwhile, the state operator extended to May 26 the deadline to submit offers in the tender to increase the capacity of the 316km, 230kV Veladero-San Bartolo-Llano Sánchez-El Coco-Panamá II line.

The US$37.1mn, 600-day project will boost dispatch of the national grid from the west of the country, home to hydropower potential.

Read B/. 171 million will be invested this year by Etesa in the improvement of the electric transmission system

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