Call for government inquiry into energy snafu

A LACK of planning, poor management and a failure to believe that the rainy season could be delayed, are said to have worsened Panama’s energy crisis.

The Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects (SPIA) has called on the government to conduct a "thorough investigation" to determine how the generating system plants were given clearance before the energy crisis in which the country finds itself.

Business associations such as the Chamber of Commerce, and experts in the field have ensured that the current energy problem worsened due to a lack of planning poor management of water in the reservoirs, and not believing that there could be delayed rains, says the Society.
A statement signed by the SPIA president Rodrigo Sanchez, includes number of recommendations to correct operational inefficiencies and energy planning.
It suggested for example the establishment of a government body to develop a generation plan because this mission is being done by the Electric Transmission Company, whose real function is to build a transmission plan.