3. RESULTADOS
3.1. DESCRIPCION DE LOS RESULTADOS
With the Law 6 of 1997, it is promulgated the Regulatory Institutional Framework for the Provision of Public Electricity Service through which the restructuring of IRHE is accomplished and therefore the electric sector in 8 companies:
• four power generation companies
• three electrical distribution companies
• one electricity transmission company (ETESA) where the state owns 100% of the shares Then in 1998 was conducted the bidding for the sale of 49% to 51% of the shares of these generation and distribution companies implied, where it was reserved as an option for the employees just between 2% to 10% of the shares, and the state would stay with the remaining shares of these companies.
The diagrammatic picture of Figure 33 shows the relationship between different Electricity Sector actors. As of April 24, 2006, the regulator of the Services Utilities (ERSP) became the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP).
FIGURE 33
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF THE MAIN ACTORS OF THE ELECTRICITY SYSTEM IN PANAMA
Source: SNE.
EDECHI EDECHI
EDEMET EDEMET
ELEKTRA ELEKTRA
The main structure of the electricity transmission system in Panama is shown in Map 7, where the location and characteristics of the major power plants is also indicated. It must be noted that the figure illustrates the importance of the development plans in the country: in fact, most of the 230 kV system is subject to wide expansion process, with the Guasquitas-Panama II line, the Colon-Caceres, the Guasquitas-Guabito lines and substations in construction and the SIEPAC system planned for the near future. In terms of distribution system, three main actors are presently active: ENSA (Elektro Noreste SA), METRO and CHIRIQUI (Group Gas Fenosa SA).. The main areas of operation of the three distribution companies is shown in Map 8.
MAP 7
MAIN STRUCTURE OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN PANAMA
Source: ETESA.
Note: The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
MAP 8
THE 3 MAIN REGIONS OF ACTIVITY OF THE MAIN DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES IN PANAMA
Source: SNE.
Note: The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
As for the distribution system, the following table shows the umero and energy delivered by the three distributors for the different electricity tariff schemes in use in the country.
Number of customers and energy delivered by different distribution companies:
Usuarios Consumo en MWh
Tarifa
Elektra Edemet Edechi Total Elektra Edemet Edechi Total
BTS 357,589 364,792 110,929 833,310 103,956 114,560 24,330 242,846
BTD 3,990 6,621 773 11,384 54,969 97,370 8,900 161,239
BTH 96 170 20 286 517 1,900 230 2,647
MTD 343 349 244 936 46,338 53,740 8,830 108,908
MTH 4 20 8 32 167 4,140 1,630 5,937
ATD 2 2 11,370 11,370
ATH 2 2 310 310
Totales 362,024 371,952 111,976 845,952 217,317 271,710 44,230 533,257 Source: SNE.
In 2004, the Government of Panama promoted the use of renewable energy sources through the Law 45.
It is a fundamental instrument of energy policy and provides the following benefits:
Plants of renewable and clean energy up to 500 kW, are to be installed for self-generation and are not to be interconnected to the distribution network, do not pay import tax for equipment and spare parts required for the construction and operation of the plants.
Plants of renewable and clean energy up to 10 MW:
- No payment rate for transmission or distribution.
- No payment of import tax for equipment and spare parts required for the construction and operation of the plants.
- Are entitled to get a tax incentive up to 25% of direct project costs based on the equivalent of CO2 emissions that are to be displaced during the concession period applicable to the 100% income tax for the first 10 years of commercial process.
- Are entitled to get an incentive up to 5% of the direct cost of the project works to become of public use.
- They can contract directly any distribution company regardless of the location of the plant, up to 15% of the maximum demand of the distributors.
- For direct contracts the regulator allows time and reasonable prices.
- You can sell power in the market occasionally.
- They can sell their power to the distributor, generator or another distributor.
- You can offer your energy in the Central American market.
Plants 10 to 20 Megawatts have the same benefits than those plants up to 10 MW with the following exceptions:
- No payment of transmission rate for the first 10 MW during the first 10 years of commercial operation.
- They can not contract directly with the dealer.
- The tax incentive up to 25% of direct cost of reducing emissions of CO2 equivalent tons per year, applies to 50% of income tax and not 100%.
INCLUDES PLAN FOR SECOND CIRCUIT
Country
Line route 230 KV Interconnection substation National substation
Plants over 20 megawatts and up to any power, have the same benefits as than those plants up to 20 MW but pay normal transmission rate.
Future important developments: Electric Interconnection System for Central America (SIEPAC) and International Connection to Colombia (Interconnection Colombia - Panama (ICP):
SIEPAC project infrastructure consists of power transmission lines of 230 kV circuit with towers planned for a future second circuit. It also includes about 298 MVAR of compensation equipment. SIEPAC Line will be connected to national networks in each country by a total of 28 bays for access. The current line detail is shown in Map 9.
SIEPAC Project has two main objectives:
Support the formation and gradual consolidation of a Regional Electricity Market (REM) by creating and establishing the necessary legal, institutional and technical resources, to facilitate private sector participation in the development of power generation additions, and
Establish the electrical interconnection infrastructure (transmission lines and substations compensation equipment) allowing electricity exchange among participants in the REM.
Funding for this program comes from an Inter-American Technical Cooperation of the International Development Bank (IDB).
MAP 9
THE FUTURE LINE SIEPAC CONNECTING 6 COUNTRIES IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Source: ETESA.
Note: The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
The power interconnection project Colombia - Panama is a transmission line of 600 km, in direct power (HVDC) between the substations Cerromatoso in Colombia and Panama II in Panama, with a carrying capacity up to 600 MW (300 MW in a first stage, depending on the maximum of exchange authorized by the system operators) and will lead to the integration of the Andean market with the Central American market, with consequent benefits not only for the agents of the two countries but also in terms of optimization of available resources throughout the region.
The process that determines the harmonized scheme Colombia-Panama is in an advanced stage, the regulators of the two countries have issued final regulations, consistent with regional regulation (MER), seeking to optimize the use of the line. The current line detail is shown in Map 10.
MAP 10
GENERAL SCHEME OF THE PANAMA-COLOMBIA TRANSMISSION LINE
Source: ETESA.
Note: The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.