By Susana Lima
33 companies presented on Friday their technical and financial bids to participate in the auction to award the purchase of 800 megawatts (MW) of guaranteed power.
Deocsa, Deorsa and EEGSA distributors called the Generation Expansion Plan coordinated by the National Energy Commission (CNEE), these companies contract the supply of electricity for the period 2015 to 2030.
CNEE President Carlos Colom Bickford explained that the purpose of obtaining new contracts is in order to offer more competitive and stable rates for consumers.
The energy demand for the Eastern Distributor, Inc. (Deorsa) and the Western Distributor, S. A. (Deocsa) will reach 532 megawatts, and the Empresa Electrica de Guatemala, S.A. (EEGSA) 593 megawatts.
The principles state that contracts will be awarded only to those offers that are within the range of reasonable prices and there will be a limit reference price that will function as a virtual supply assessment to compare the participating companies and it will be exposing to the public on February 13th this year.
The chief executive of the distributors Deorsa - Deocsa, Jaime Tupper, said the bidding not only diversifies the country's energy matrix, but also promotes new forms of power generation, focusing on renewable energy.
Jorge Sinibaldi, representing the San Antonio Wind Project Site, presented a proposal to distribute 48 megawatts of electricity through 16 towers that were built in Santa Elena Barillas, Huehuetenango.
This project represents the first wind farm in the Guatemalan nation and is expected to be ready for operation by May 2014, and the investment will be over U.S. $ 100 million.
The bidding was set to be recruited up to 40 percent (320 MW) power plants in operation before January 1st, 2010, and at least about 480 MW will be allocated to plants producing renewable resources (hydroelectric, wind farms, solar, etc.).
