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Suffering worst drought in decades, Costa Rica orders electricity rationing

Struck by the worst drought in five decades, Costa Rica revealed an electrical power rationing intend on Thursday, blaming a. extreme lack of rains that has hobbled hydroelectric plants.

The Central American nation renowned for its beaches and lavish. landscapes that power ecotourism generally gets about 70% of its. electrical power supply from the plants.

State-run electrical energy company ICE has actually blamed the drought. conditions partly on the weather condition phenomenon referred to as El Nino.

Roberto Quiros, ICE's electrical power director, described water. levels at main reservoirs as crucial, including the current El. Nino is the most extreme on record.

He also indicated delays in contracted deliveries from. personal power plants.

The nation last saw electricity rationing in 2007.

The power cuts, to be implemented next Monday, are. scheduled to last up to three hours daily however will not affect. healthcare facilities, market or other high-voltage consumers.

ICE is likewise asking domestic users to reduce. intake as much as possible.

President Rodrigo Chaves has actually stated he prays every day for. rain as his requests to acquire energy from Costa Rica's. next-door neighbors have actually shown difficult considering that power lacks have also. hit the broader region.

Extensive power cuts blamed on a heat wave likewise struck Mexico. earlier today, in addition to similar problems in Colombia. and Ecuador.

The absence of rains has actually accompanied unusually unforeseeable. wind patterns, ICE officials kept in mind, which has hit products from. wind farms.

This week, the business revealed an alert signaling the. possibility of allocating along with an up until now unrealized projection. for impending rainfall. Costa Rica's rainy season usually kicks. off at the end of April.

An uptick in need has actually further complicated ICE's capability to. satisfy it. Official data for January revealed a 9% rise in. electrical energy consumption compared to the very same month last year.

(source: Reuters)