Costa Rica Country Update

The geothermal exploration and development in Costa Rica has continued its expansion, presenting an important impulse in developments for electricity generation, during the last 10 years.

The Dr. Alfredo Mainieri Protti Geothermal Field (formerly Miravalles, 154,5 MWe), since 1994 has maintained its production in stable conditions and with a projected useful life extension for the period 2030–2060, with a load adjustment. The unit 1 of Las Pailas Geothermal Field (42,5 MWe) completed 12 years of continuous production since 2011 and the second unit (55 MWe) started in July 2019 show very stable production during this commercial operation period. The Borinquen 1 development (55 MWe) continues the 17-well drilling program with very good results.

In 2022 ICE (Costarican Electricity Institute) concluded the Costa Rica geothermal potential update study. This study considered traditional geoscientific disciplines as well as remote sensing, geophysical and socio-environmental evaluations and the United Nations Framework Classification of Resources (UNFC). In order to attend the requirements of the electrical expansion plan until 2040, the portfolio of geothermal projects was updated, based on project proposals at different stages of maturity.