A new phase in decentralized and clean electricity generation is advancing in the Los Santos region, where the Costa Rican company Matelpa, in partnership with the Coopesantos cooperative, is promoting the construction of a photovoltaic solar plant that will benefit more than 800 families with renewable energy at a lower cost.
The Río Rosa Solar Park, located in San Pablo de León Cortés, will generate 146,000 kWh per month, thanks to an investment of nearly $1 million. The plant is part of an effort to diversify the energy mix in rural areas of the country, where high distribution costs significantly increase electricity rates.
A historic step
For Matelpa, the project represents a historic step forward in opening the national electricity market to private sector initiatives. “This is the first time that a project of this type has been implemented under the protection of Law 7593 of the ARESEP (National Energy Agency) and Executive Decree 30065 of the MINAE (National Energy Ministry), which allows the Ministry of Environment and Energy to grant generation concessions to private companies to sell electricity directly to electricity distribution companies,” explained Jorge Esteban Padilla, general manager of Matelpa.
“Traditionally, all projects of this nature had to be carried out through the ICE (National Electricity Institute), facing lengthy bidding processes and bureaucratic procedures that discourage investment and delay construction. In contrast, this new regulatory framework allows for the development of projects like the Río Rosa solar farm with greater efficiency and agility,” he added.
The plant will be operated by Sol de Río Rosa, a special-purpose company that is part of the Río Rosa Group, to which Matelpa belongs. Construction is expected to begin in August, once the procedures with the MINAE (National Electricity Ministry) are completed.
Favorable Conditions
The project’s location is no coincidence. The lower León Cortés area has ideal conditions for solar generation: clear skies, moderate temperatures, and constant solar radiation. These characteristics allow for greater efficiency of solar panels, which translates into a better cost-benefit ratio for users.
“The Los Santos area has historically been a coffee-growing area. Now, in addition to harvesting coffee, we will also harvest the sun. This type of initiative decentralizes generation, reduces transmission costs, and democratizes access to clean energy,” added Padilla.
In addition to the environmental benefit, the project seeks to alleviate the high electricity rates faced by rural communities, where large geographical distances make distribution more expensive. Coopesantos is the electricity distributor with the lowest average consumption in the country, but faces one of the highest rates due to these structural conditions.
State Support
The project has the support of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, which promotes private investment as part of its decarbonization strategy and response to growing national energy demand.
“These types of public-private partnerships allow us to democratize energy, strengthen the resilience of the electrical grid, and move toward a more sustainable matrix. We want to see more projects like this throughout the country,” said Ronny Rodríguez, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINAE).
For his part, Mario Patricio Solís, General Manager of Coopesantos, emphasized that the project coincides with the cooperative’s 60th anniversary and reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development.
“The country needs innovative solutions, and that is why we have opted for strategic partnerships like the one we have today with Matelpa, focused on improving the quality of life of our communities,” he stated.
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