Borinquen geothermal project in Costa Rica surpasses 40% completion

Rincon de la Vieja, Costa Rica (source: flickr/ Patrick Nouhailler, creative commons)

The Borinquen I geothermal power project in Costa Rica has now surpassed the 40% mark in construction progress according to an update provided by Project Director Leonardo Solis. The completed works include the drilling of seven production wells and five reinjection wells, as well as the construction of access roads and a working water storage lagoon.

“Production tests are also continuing as part of the field evaluation work,” said Solis. “We have made progress in drilling wells, internal roads, construction of reinjection lagoons, excavation for the Powerhouse and the waste dumps.

The Borinquen Geothermal Project is located in Liberia in the province of Guanacaste, and is on the western section of the Rincón de la Vieja volcanic massif. Borinquen I has a planned capacity of 55 MW, while a second 55-MW Unit 2 is also planned for development. Commercial operations Borinquen I is targeted by 2027.

The Borinquen geothermal project is being developed by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) who also operates the Miravalles and Pailas geothermal power plants. Geothermal currently contributes about 15% of the energy supply in Costa Rica.

In early 2022, we reported on the ecological benefits of the Borinquen geothermal project as part of the commitment of ICE  to strengthen the ecosystems in their areas of influence. During the years of development, the ecological connectivity near the Borinquen geothermal project and its surrounding areas increased by 4.5%.

Source: Cambio Politico