Costa Rica boosts its electrical infrastructure with a multi-million dollar investment from the European Union
The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) has announced a significant capital injection aimed at modernizing its energy infrastructure. With 300 million dollars in financing from the European Union and France, the Central American country seeks to consolidate its transition toward a more efficient electricity generation model that is resilient to climate challenges.
According to official information, the financial package is divided into 200 million dollars granted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and an additional 100 million contributed by the French Development Agency (AFD). These funds have the primary objective of strengthening the National Electric System (SEN) in the face of growing energy demand and the variability of hydroelectric sources caused by climate change.
A commitment to sustainability and innovation
Marco Acuña, president of the ICE, highlighted that this investment is a recognition of Costa Rica’s leadership in the clean energy sector. According to the official, the country’s financial strength and project portfolio have allowed it to attract essential international resources to renew the transmission and distribution network.
Costa Rica’s international leadership in renewable electricity generation, our healthy finances, and an active project portfolio open the doors for friendly countries to allocate resources toward the renewal of our National Electricity System. We must move toward a participatory, modern, and unhindered model.
Marco Acuña, president of ICE
For his part, the European Union ambassador to Costa Rica, Pierre-Louis Lempereur, highlighted that this alliance not only provides capital, but also knowledge transfer. The collaboration integrates European and French expertise to strengthen ICE’s technical capabilities, focusing on the energy and digital transition.
Regional scope and environmental goals
This initiative is part of the Global Gateway Investment Agenda strategy and the Regional Electricity Market (MER) Strengthening Plan for Central America. The key points of this project include:
- Comprehensive modernization of electrical transmission and distribution networks.
- Specialized technical cooperation provided by EDF International Networks (EDF IN) of France.
- Strengthening climate resilience to ensure the security of regional electricity supply.
- Promotion of energy integration and the green transition in the isthmus.
Currently, Costa Rica positions itself as a global benchmark in the field, managing to generate nearly 98 percent of its electrical energy through clean sources, such as hydroelectric, geothermal, and wind energy. With this new financial backing, the country is preparing to face the challenges of the future with a more robust and technological infrastructure.
