Costa Rica: Construction of Las Pailas II Geothermal Project is Currently at 54%

Las Pailas II in Costa Rica will be the most modern geothermal plant in the region (The Costa Rica Star)

Pipeline in Las Pailas I. by Paul Moya. Two phase pipeline coming to the separation station at Las Pailas I, Costa Rica. Photo was taken in July 2011. GRC Photo Contest 2016.

The Costa Rica Electricity Institute (ICE) has said that the Las Pailas II Geothermal project, currently under development and expected to be ready by 2019, will be the most modern geothermal plant in Central America and the Caribbean.

“It is the first geothermal plant in the region that will have a cooling tower made of reinforced fiber glass, all its wells will be drilled with directional technique and it will produce electricity with just one last generation Japanese turbine” stated the press release.

According to the construction coordinator of Las Pailas II, Didier Ugalde, in previous projects the cooling towers have been built in concrete and wood, but never in fiber glass; this new element reduces the investment in the project, it brings down the costs of operation and it benefits the environment, explained Ugalde.

The project is currently at a 54%, the construction of the cooling tower of five cells began in January. The machine room will take up less space than the ones already operating in the country, a world trend in the design of geothermal projects, for in this area they will use a light concrete panel system to improve the sound isolation of the equipment.

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