Coastal residents from Tamarindo to Ostional, in the northwest province of Guanacaste, can continue to expect periodic power outages at least through October, the result of a new power line being put up to feed tourism development in Hacienda Pinilla.
Eduardo Cabalceta, engineer of electricity cooperative Coopeguanacaste said the outages – which are occuring Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – are necessary to create a new power line with a 15-megawatt capacity that will supply a top-of-the-line, $100 million JW Marriott resort under construction in Hacienda Pinilla (TT, Dec. 2, 2005). The $1.5 million line will also have a capacity to supply some 10,000 additional residents in the area, Cabalceta said.
“When we’re putting up cable, we have to turn off the power because a short circuit is possible,” he told The Tico Times.
The periodic outages, which have been going on for nearly two months, will likely continue through mid-October, Cabalceta said, and there could even be some as late as December as the project is wrapped up.
Next Tuesday and Thursday residents can expect outages, though he said it’s not certain when future outages will occur.
At the end of this month, Coopeguanacaste will have an outage schedule that it will advertise in a megaphone campaign in local areas. Residents can also look for the outage schedule at coopeguanacaste.com or call 680-9292 for info.
