San Lorenzo

in implementation

The proposed investment in Hidroeléctrica San Lorenzo is for the construction of an 8.6-megawatt electric power plant generating approximately 40 gigawatt-hours per year. The project will be located in the Boca del Monte division (corregimiento) of San Lorenzo District, Chiriquí Province, close to the villages of Sábalo and Balita, 45 kilometers east of the city of David, on the banks of the Fonseca River. The power will be carried to the Chiriquí substation by a 12-kilometer power transmission line. The project entails constructing an unreglated run-of-the-river plant with minimal pondage at the penstock intake.The main objective of the Hidroeléctrica San Lorenzo power plant is to supply Panama’s electric power grid with electricity at a reasonable cost, from a clean, renewable energy source such as a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power plant. The project qualifies for registration as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project.Hidroeléctrica San Lorenzo S.A. is a special-purpose vehicle set up by its sponsors, Messrs. Ignacio and Gerardo Cuerva Valdivia, in Panama. The project requires two 4.35-megawatt Kaplan turbines. The Spanish firm Baliño S.A. de España will supply and install the equipment. The construction firm will be Saret de Costa Rica. Part of the power will be sold to distributors in Panama through bidding processes, with another part to be sold on the open market. Hidroeléctrica San Lorenzo already has approval for dispatching its firm power.