The Costa Rican power utility Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) has announced plans to construct a 66-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Guanacaste province, which will be the largest solar facility in the country.
The board of directors approved the launch of a feasibility study for the Colorado solar project, which is expected to require an investment of approximately USD 80 million (EUR 71.8 million).
The feasibility study will encompass technical, legal, environmental, and other data, with results aimed at confirming the project's compatibility with the national power grid. ICE anticipates that the Colorado solar farm will begin operations in 2027 and estimates that it will generate around 139.49 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually, given a plant factor of 23.9%.
The Colorado solar project is part of ICE's broader initiative to ensure an adequate supply of renewable energy to meet both current and future electricity demands in Costa Rica.
Upon completion, Colorado will complement ICE's existing 10-MW San Antonio solar plant in the La Uruca district, along with five new solar projects totaling 86 MW developed by the private sector.