After more than a month of holdup by the government, the Amayo wind-farm project in Rivas this week was approved to move forward on its phase II expansion, which will add an additional 23 megawatts of renewable energy to Nicaragua’s power grid by next year.
Amayo, a $90 million renewable energy company with investors from the United States, Guatemala and Nicaragua, had its $60 million phase II expansion suspended by the government in September, allegedly due to a lack of permits.
The suspension of the project prevented the company from off-loading a ship with 12 new wind turbines in Puerto Corinto, translating into an estimated $60,000 in losses each day the ship was stuck in port.
Amayo currently produces 40 megawatts of energy, and will increase to 63 megawatts by 2010. Its operating license is good for 30 years.
Amayo is the only wind-farm power project in Nicaragua.
–Nica Times
