El Salvador to enter LNG regas era (Part II)
I’ve got more information on the LNG regas terminal and 525MW combined cycle generation turbine (CCGT) power plant project spearheaded by Cutuco Energy at La Unión in El Salvador. This is a very significant project for two main reasons: Central America enters the LNG era and the region will take the first concrete step to diversify into cleaner fuels.
Phase I of the project, which is seen costing $660 million, will kick off in the first half of 2008 and be completed in the first half of 2011. The storage terminal will have a capacity to house 160,000 square meters of LNG.
This phase includes the construction of a desalinization plant that will provide 1 million gallons/day of clean water to the city of La Unión.
In phase 2 of the project, the LNG terminal will be expanded to house 320,000 square meters.
The power plant will be interconnected to the Siepac power transmission line that interconnects all of the Central American countries except for Belize.
The power consumption in Central America grew in 2006 by 4.6%. The biggest growth was reported in Guatemala (7.3%) followed by Panama (3.9%), El Salvador (3.7%) and Costa Rica (2.1%), according to Cepal. Power consumption in Nicaragua was near-flat at 0.2%.
Thermal power (diesel) accounted for 58% (12.311GW) and hydropower 36% (7.594GW) of total generating capacity in Central America.
