Costa Rica Announces Electricity Rationing Plan Amid Drought

Sana Khan Sana Khan / Published May 10 2024, 3:40 AM EDT

As Costa Rica grapples with the worst drought in five decades, the government announced an electricity rationing plan for citizens due to a severe lack of rainfall affecting hydroelectric plants.

Hydroelectric plants are responsible for supplying 70% of the Central American country's electricity, and the state-run electricity company, ICE, has partially blamed the drought problem on El Niño. The present situation has forced the Costa Rican government to announce the electricity rationing plan.

Roberto Quiros, the electricity director of ICE, expressed concern over the critically low water levels in the main reservoirs, calling it the most severe ever recorded El Niño, Reuters reported.

He also pointed out that there have been delays from the private power plants, leading to power outages in the country. Before this, the country had witnessed electricity rationing in 2007. The government is now all set to implement power cuts from Monday onwards, and these cuts are scheduled to last up to three hours daily.

More:
https://www.latintimes.com/costa-rica-announces-electricity-rationing-plan-amid-drought-554010