70% of the electrical energy that is consuming the country comes from thermal generation plants, and the remaining 30% from hydropower. The National Dispatch Center (CND), which administers the system, is using as much energy as possible from the thermal power plants to conserve water in the reservoirs, said a source. Based on records from the CND, the Fortuna reservoir remains at 1,044.31 meters above sea level, while the Bayano is at 59.93 meters above sea level. For analysts, the driest months are March, April and May, during which time the water now being held in reserve can be used to generate power. (Source: La Prensa)
Editor's Comment: This is a good plan. The power generated by the "thermal" plants, those that burn fossil fuels to generate power, is more expensive. However, there is now a significant "El Niño" ENSO condition in effect which generally results in significantly less rainfall in Panama than normal. You can always import more bunker fuel to burn in the thermal plants, but once the water has left the reservoirs it only gets back in there when it rains. It might cost more to burn the fuel to generate electricity, but that's still better than not being able to generate enough power to meet demand and having to manage rolling black outs or electricity rationing. Fron the NOAA Climate Prediction Center: "Most models indicate that SST anomalies in the Niño-3.4 region will begin to decrease in early 2010, and that El Niño will persist through April-May-June 2010." El Niño causes greatly increased amounts of rainfall for places like Peru, Ecuador, and Northern Brazil - so while we're looking at drought they are looking at flooding and mudslides. No matter what happens, by June or July the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone will move back over our heads to the North and the rains will return to Panama, maybe two months later than normal.
The strengthening of a cold front, which remains stationary over Costa Rica, has caused several problems in the provinces of Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí and Colón. It has been raining constantly, accompanied by strong winds. Arturo Alvarado, the Director of the National System of Civil Protection, confirmed he has declared a "green alert" - which means they are monitoring the situation at several locations. So there the level of the Caldera river has risen, along the coast waves as high as 12 feet have been reported, with sustained winds of 25 kilometers per hour. Alvarado reported that a 16 year old is missing in the Teribe river in Bocas del Toro. In the province of Colón an abandoned ship broke loose from its anchor and ran aground in front of the Parque de la Juventud near 1st Street in the city of Colón. Due to the intensity of the winds, the Flower Fair in Boquete had to be shut down on Monday evening. According to the report, the flow of the Caldera river rose two meters. The cold front will remain in place for about 24 hours more, so stay alert. Officials in the area of Talamanca in Costa Rica, the headwaters of the Sixaola river, remain at a yellow alert. This cold front is stationary over Costa Rica, where it has also caused several problems. (Source: Kathyria Caicedo for Telemetro Reporta)
By Milagros Murillo F. for DIAaDIA - The residents of San Martín in Rana de Oro, Pedregal, are still frightened by the strong winds knocked down some trees by their roots and that affected several homes. This incident happened on Sunday afternoon, and those affected reported they suspect it was a tornado that knocked down trees and tore roofs from buildings. Yesterday, a work crew from the Community Board of the area struggling to cut a huge mango tree that fell in the sector A, because in that area about five trees were knocked down in a "domino effect." Mrs. Catalina still remembers the seconds of terror she lived through. She said it was not even raining hard, but then a strong swirling wind bled that increased in strength and uprooted trees. She tried to leave, because he was worried about her son who was at the corner store, however all she could do was stand hard against the wall to keep from being blown down. She further said that in her life she's never seen anything like this. "I had seen it on TV, but never thought that it would happen here," she said. Yesterday, people were taking inventory of the losses in their houses, and personnel from the Ministry of Housing and from the Community Board came to make an assessment and to provide them with some support. We tried to obtain a preliminary report on the damages in Pedregal, Colón and the Darién, but SINAPROC officials said there would be an official statement released today. People thanked God that no one was killed, despite the strong winds.
