The commissioning of the hydropower plant Reventazón, located at Siquirres de Limón, has provided for the shut down of two thermoelectric plants in the last three years. The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) decided to suspend operations of Moin I thermal plant, which contributed to 1 percent of the total production of energy. The 36 workers who worked […]
Government wants to collect taxes on revenues made abroad
The government seeks to reform the income tax to make individuals and companies declare and pay taxes on revenues generated abroad. According to deputy minister of revenue, Fernando Rodriguez, the government wants to include a provision on the income tax bill, which will require persons or companies with tax residency in Costa Rica to declare […]
Costa Rica seeks funds to buy radar systems needed to fight drug trafficking
The Security Ministry seeks funds to buy 10 mobile radar systems that would be used to detect light airplanes carrying drugs. According to security minister, Gustavo Mata, the purchase is necessary because the amount of drugs crossing over the country’s coasts is expected to reach 1,700 tons per year. Costa Rica lacks radar systems capable of detecting […]
Government withholds payment for overpass project at San José
The National Highway Council (CONAVI) is withholding a payment of 77 million colones to the builder of a viaduct over the Paso Ancho roundabout in San José, after detecting cracks in the anti-seismic protection. The contractor company, MECO, began the project on September 2014 and the due date was on October 2015. The initial budget […]
Poás volcano spewed a column of water and debris
Poás volcano, in Alajuela province, spewed a column of water, sediment and steam of 66 to 98 feet long. The eruption occurred on Sunday morning and took place in the active crater of the volcano, covered by an ultra-acid lake. Such eruptions are normal and occur when the under-water pressure at the Poás lake comes […]
Firefighters face hazardous substances blindly
The lack of adequate signs in trucks loaded with hazardous substances threatens the life of the firefighters, according to the fire department chief Hector Chaves. When firefighters attend tanker trucks for emergencies, frequently they don’t know what kind of substance they are facing, because cargo isn’t properly identified. Even drivers, in many instances, do not know what […]