After the announcement of the plan to offer Super Gasoline mixed with 8% ethanol, the Costa Rican Petroleum Refinery (RECOPE) will have to define if it maintains the request made through the Ordinary Price Study 2019 sent to the Regulatory Authority of Public Services (ARESEP) on March 29th.
Initially, the company had requested a price per liter of ₡613 for the mixture of gasoline with ethanol (called ECO95); however, this Tuesday the refinery and the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) announced that they postponed the incursion of the product due to criticism by different sectors.
The proposal was in the spotlight in recent days due to the absence of conclusive technical support to boost the mix. For example, the results of the tests carried out on 27 vehicles of the entity were not yet ready and there was no clarity about very specific aspects (ethanol origin and strength of studies).
Marco Cordero, Head of Energy of ARESEP, explained that the study presented by the refiner is in the admissibility stage.
As a first stage, the refiner intended to offer – starting May 30th – a mixture of 8% ethanol in Super gasoline and it was expected that by December 2020 that same percentage would be added to the Plus 91 gasoline.
In the ordinary study by RECOPE also requested an increase of 2 colones for Super gasoline ( ₡ 620 per liter ) and almost 4 for diesel ( ₡ 546 per liter ).
These measures are contemplated in the National Decarbonization Plan. However, the authorities say that despite the postponement, the scope of the project will not be affected.