Central America. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) announced through a study that six Central American countries achieved in 2010 a record level of electricity production from renewable sources, which constitutes 65% of total generation.
The study called "Statistics of the electricity subsector" analyzed the situation of the sector in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Of the total renewable energy produced, it is highlighted that that from hydroelectric sources reached 20,974 gigawatts (GWh), more than half of the total production.
These countries had a total electricity production of 40,668.2 gigawatts in 2010 and electricity sales of 34,579.6 gigawatts, 3.8% higher than in 2009. The study indicates that the total electricity production of the subregion grew last year thanks to investments in new generating plants, which were almost US$1.1 billion.
Currently, 87% of the demand of the regional electricity market is in the hands of five companies, which serve 31 million people, 93% of Central American users. These companies are spain's Gas Natural, with 22% of the market; Colombia's EPM (21%); ICE-CNFL, from Costa Rica, with 19%; ENEE of Honduras, with 15%, and the US group AES, with 10%.
