Costa Rica's power sector: where the next tenders will open

Costa Rica generates virtually all of its electricity from renewable sources, and a significant share of that installed capacity has already been operating for decades. That shifts the focus of procurement: fewer large new-build projects and more modernisation, refurbishment and replacement of electromechanical equipment in plants that remain competitive.

The second front is transmission. Demand growth and integration with the regional electricity market call for substations, lines and control and protection equipment. These are technically demanding purchases, with standards and track-record requirements that filter bidders hard.

The third is operation and maintenance: spare parts, instrumentation, specialised services and technical assistance. It is the least visible segment and the most constant one; it is also the segment that opens the door to long-term relationships with the operator and to an installed base that later supports larger sales.

For a foreign manufacturer the difference between these three fronts is not only technical. It changes the type of guarantee required, the delivery term committed and the level of local support that must be demonstrated before bidding seriously.