Energy & Utilities
From The Report: Panama 2014
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With demand for power estimated to grow around 7.5% per year until 2016 and maintaining annual averages of 5.6% in the following 10 years, managing the balance between demand and supply is a key concern for Panama. In other utility segments, such as water, rising consumption levels are exposing decades-long underinvestment in infrastructure networks. As a result, ambitious investment plans – from both public and private sources – are being rolled out across the utility spectrum. Meanwhile, commercial oil finds in the country’s south-eastern region have led to a preliminary set of rules and regulations to govern oil extraction in years to come. Plans for the diversification of the energy mix include renewables such as wind, solar and biofuel facilities, while the country also seems eager to expand other resources such as gas and, to a lesser extent, coal.

This chapter features an interview with Fernando Marciscano, General Manager, Empresa de Transmision Electrica Panamena.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Investment roll-out: Expansion and upgrades under way to keep up with growing demand
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Rapid economic growth in recent years has not left Panama’s energy sector unscathed. According to figures from Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica (ETESA), the national electricity transmission company, demand for power will grow at around 7.5% per year until 2016 while annual averages of 5.6% are expected in the 10 years after that. Managing the balance between demand and supply, therefore, is a key concern of Panama’s energy policymakers. In other utility segments, such as water, rising consumption…

Analysis

Renewable vows: Regulatory reforms are encouraging the rise of sustainable sources
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The stated ambitions to diversify Panama’s energy matrix have resulted in a range of regulatory reforms to encourage investment in renewables, and ground has been broken on the first projects in wind- and solar-driven generation facilities. After a decade of feasibility studies in cooperation with international development organisations such as the Global Environment Facility and the UN Development Programme, 2011 saw the first issue of wind energy tenders. As of February 2014, nine new wind generation…

Interview

Building capacity: OBG talks to Fernando Marciscano, General Manager, Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica Panameña (ETESA)
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Interview:Fernando Marciscano What is Panama’s overall strategy to achieve power self-sufficiency? FERNANDO MARCISCANO: In 2012, Panama’s installed capacity was 2200 MW, which allowed it to meet overall demand. To address the growing need for electricity (which increases 7% annually, on average), the government has attempted to foster greater power generation capacity through modernisation and development of new power facilities. As part of this effort, the government has emphasised hydroelectricity,…

Interview

Talking hydro: OBG talks to Miguel Bolinaga, CEO, AES Panama
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Interview:Miguel Bolinaga Annual energy demand is increasing by 80-100 MW, exceeding supply growth. How can investment in generation be accelerated? MIGUEL BOLINAGA: Countries like Panama face the challenge of meeting rising power requirements in a timely, reliable and affordable manner. The installed capacity margins have been reduced due to accelerated demand, with annual average growth at 6.5% over the past five years. This can be attributed largely to investments such as the Canal expansion…