Reventazón Hydroelectric Plant exceeds construction costs in first decade

The Reventazón Hydroelectric Plant in Costa Rica has produced nearly 10,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity during its first decade of operation. According to the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the estimated cost of generating that same amount of energy using fossil fuels would have been approximately $1,553 million, surpassing the plant's initial construction investment of $1,400 million.

Marco Acuña Mora, executive president of Grupo ICE, stated that the value of the electricity produced has exceeded the initial investment through the use of renewable resources, providing security and reliability to the national grid. The plant currently serves as the largest producer in the National Electric System (SEN), contributing an average of 9% of Costa Rica's annual electricity consumption.

In addition to its economic impact, the facility has helped reduce the country's reliance on thermal backup plants, thereby decreasing exposure to international fuel price volatility. The plant, which began commercial operations in 2016, has an installed capacity of 305.5 megawatts and features five generating units and a 7-square-kilometer reservoir.