Electrical generating plan
is big benefit for residents

Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

Mr. Douglas makes the point that Costa Rica has some of the highest electricity prices in the world…. and as such causing hardship for consumers.*  What is more worrisome is that while the rest of the world is trying to shake its addiction to oil, Costa Rica is moving towards increased oil consumption at breakneck speed. The addition of the 200 MW (now the largest power plant in the country!) Garabito Thermal Generation Plant is, as Vice President Piva has acknowledged, a "blunder," and a textbook example of both poor planning and execution. When world oil prices are hovering at well above $90 a barrel (even before the world’s economy recover and demand increases!), and oil consumption for power generation here increased 50 percent last year, this blunder is undeniable, especially for a society committed to carbon neutrality.

However, I have some very good news to offset the above gloom! As previously reported in A.M. Costa Rica on Oct. 25, an announcement that most consumers don’t fully understand, The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad has introduced a progressive new program which invites consumers to generate their own power. This "net-metering" program is a benefit that our company has worked for over three years to introduce and which affords residential, commercial and industrial customers served by ICE to generate part or all of their own power requirements. Given the two price increases ICE has already applied for in 2011 totaling approximately 12 percent for residential clients this option is increasingly attractive. (The government has also recently enacted legislation which allows us to import renewable energy generation equipment free of ALL taxes, ergo our clients pay no import duties nor 13 percent sales taxes on their solar panels!).

Naturally the consumers best positioned to take advantage of this program to invest in solar or wind generation are the most affluent families. However, we are working to introduce a special program whereby even modest homes can invest in small systems of one or two solar panels and also achieve lower long-term electricity costs and a reduced carbon footprint. A combination of economical equipment and advantageous micro-financing will support this effort.

However, the ICE program which supports this effort is a two-year pilot program or experiment and not yet codified in law or regulation. To make it a success, we need consumers to be aware of it and participate. And we need our leaders (ministers & diputados) and regulators (ARESEP) to support ICE’s bold move and make this program a permanent fixture and available to all consumers, not just those mostly rural consumers served directly by ICE’s distribution company. Customers of the Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz, the municipal distributors and all the cooperativas should also be able to participate. All Costa Rican consumers should have the right to control their electricity prices by investing in their own power generation, meanwhile helping to reduce the likelihood of future power shortages as predicted by ICE.

Next consumers need to consider an electric vehicle to be charged by their own solar panels, and that would really help move Costa Rica toward carbon neutrality!

 
*Footnote: Context is important in considering his statement. Electricity prices here are indeed double and triple the prices that most North Americans are accustomed to paying, this despite our having such a high percentage of hydro and renewable resources. But when compared to other Central American countries, Costa Rica prices are significantly lower than most, and the quality of service is generally better. Meanwhile service is available to approximately 98 percent of the population.


There are many benefits here
that beat petty annoyances

Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

Did Mr. Colborn really expect paradise this cheap?  Negative (& even dangerous) things happen here as anywhere, but it seems many people invite trouble with their actions and attitudes. Those who constantly complain should return to the U.S. "paradise" and leave Costa Rica to those of us who appreciate it for what it is, not what Americans think it should be.
 
I guess Canada is selling its power way too cheap to the U.S. if anyone from there thinks Costa Rica electricity is overpriced.  Here I pay less than 10 percent of my monthly bill in Canada and have almost the same amenities. I noted that Mr. Colborn used "they" in each complaint although he has lived here for years.  Perhaps that is the root of his problem.
 
As for my husband and I, for five months a year we gladly put up with petty annoyances in exchange for cheap and delicious fresh fruits and veggies not shipped thousands of miles and for warm sunshine instead of below zero temperatures. We have terrific neighbors who have been a tremendous help and who include us in their festivites and treat us like family. Newcomers may influence change but to insist on change to suit their personal needs has only resulted in disaster throughout history.

 

Illegal parking enforcement
would keep traffic moving

Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

I have been following the placa fiasco for some time in total amazement and could no longer resist commenting on the mess which is both confusing and taking up too much time that could be spent by our officials in a more productive way.

Last week after a long day with clients at the Pacific coast, I entered the city around 5 p.m. to drop them off at the Hotel Presidente. The traffic was bad as always but when returning home even worse because the supposedly two-lane street that exits the city was now a one-lane street because there was about 40 cars parked on yellow curbs. This caused traffic to merge right then merge left and so on all the way down the street, causing bottlenecks and frustration every 50 feet or so.

Here is my point; if the yellow curb laws were strictly enforced, we would not need to restrict good, hard working people from doing business in San José one day a week. When clients ask me about a location for a new business, I tell them stay outside of the parameter or your clients will be restricted from driving to your business one day a week. That is 52 days a year you will loose business!

The municipality can make just as much money towing the vehicles of inconsiderate idiots, as they would giving tickets to hard working people who forgot what day it was.

Simply put, enforcing the existing laws instead of fighting over and trying to explain new ones. It may be too simple to work here.


This is a balanced country
with chips on both shoulders

Dear A.M. Costa Rica:

Thanks for airing different views on life in Costa Rica.

The letters of Tom Colborn and Ted Douglas are absolutely correct.

I have lived in Costa Rica and Panama for eight years and am married to a Tica. My Tico brother-in-law, who is a fairly high government official, warned me of the anti-foreign bias and xenophobia among the average Costa Ricans. 

He said, "we're a balanced people. We have a chip on both shoulders."

I have resided in five countries in my employment before I retired in Costa Rica. It is, without doubt, the most anti-foreign, antagonistic country to foreigners.

I will be moving back to Costa Rica from Panama, but only so my wife can be close to her aged mother and family.

If I were still in the U.S. and didn't have that family obligation, would I choose Costa Rica? Absolutely not.

Real estate agents, tour guides and property peddlers have their own interests.

So what to do?

Do as Ted Douglas suggested. Come and live here for six months or a year and find out for yourself before plunking down your money.

Find out what the papers said today in Spanish By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Here is the section where you can scan short summaries from the Spanish-language press. If you want to know more, just click on a link and you will see and longer summary and have the opportunity to read the entire news story on the page of the Spanish-language newspaper but translated into English. Translations may be a bit rough, but software is improving every day. When you see the Summary in English of news stories not covered today by A.M. Costa Rica, you will have a chance to comment. This is a new service of A.M. Costa Rica called Costa Rica Report. Editor is Daniel Woodall, and you can contact him HERE!

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month was less than 1 percent. September actually saw a tiny decline with -00.08 percent.