Guatemala to launch project tender for 150 MW in 2014
Volcano de Pacaya, Guatemala (source: flickr/Nyall & Maryanne, creative commons)
Francisco Rojas
17 Oct 2013
Next year, the Guatemalan Government will release a call for tender for a 150MW project exclusive for geothermal.
The information released by the Data from the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) explains that there is potential for generating more than 850 MW of geothermal power in the country.
Érick Archila, MEM minister , said this is the first time a public tender of this nature is launched. The project would need to be built in 18 months and should be ready to start generating electricity by 2016. “Generation costs might be more favorable and help diversify energy” said Archila .
Currently, the country there are two generation of geothermal plants. The first one is Zunil , Quetzaltenango , opened on August 4, 1999 , whose generation capacity is 24 MW , but currently produces 13 MW. The second one is Ortitlán, located on the slopes of Pacaya Volcano , San Vicente Pacaya , Escuintla , with a capacity of 25 MW and generates 17 MW . There is also planned one further plant in Amatitlan that could generate up to 25 MW.
Source: Prensa Libre via Piensa Geotermia
