I have been reviewing our typical unit owner´s electricity costs at The Oaks, noting that a typical bill during July for a fully occupied unit was $67 CAN for the month. When I asked our on-site concierge, Ana Lorena, for an explanation, she sent me our local electric company´s rates.


 
Rates are divided into two seasons, "dry" and "not dry". Because 80% of Costa Rica´s electricity is generated by hydroelectric power, rates are 25% higher during the "dry" season from January through June. For an average user of 625 kWh per month, the July low season rates cost $67.75 CAN. VOILA! During the "dry" season from January through June, rates are 25% higher, which would result in an electric bill of  $84 per month.
 
So how does this compare with where you live? Here is information from ENMAX for July.
 
Calgary's Regulated Default Electricity Rate for July 2008

For Immediate Release
Calgary
26 Jun 2008
The default electricity rate for Calgary will rise to 11.99 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), effective July 1, 2008. Consumers who have chosen a fixed price energy plan will not be affected by this price change.
As a result, the electricity bill for a typical Calgary household (using 625 kWh per month) will increase by 15.5 per cent compared with the previous month to $112.31.

Hmmmmm.

 

2 Comments on ELECTRICITY COSTS: A REPORT FROM THE OAKS TAMARINDO, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

SEP
15
2008
102,091 Points Outside Blog

I like your creative approach to connecting with agents!  I live and work in Anacortes, WA and I know several people that have places in Costa Rica so I am glad to make the connection.  Maybe we can do some business!
10:01am • #1
SEP
20
2008

Jean - Thanks! It would be great to do business with you. As you can see from earlier posts, we encourage and pay for referrals. For some not so strange reasons, about half our clients these days come from western Canada. In fact, we have a couple of owners right across the border from you in Vancouver, B.C., though for tax reasons I think they call Alberta "home". Real estate or no, I strongly encourage people to visit Guanacaste, the Pacific northwest coast of Costa Rica. Just come down, rent for a week or three, and have a blast! Prices are low up until Christmas, and the weather turns good here, and not so great up north, by the middle of November. I came down to have fun, and wound up back in real estate.
12:42pm • #2


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Robert Irvin

Igloolik, YN

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Green Seal Realty

Address: 4 km south of Huacas, 4 km north of Villa Real, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Office Phone: (2) 653-6331

Cell Phone: (8) 886-9616

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Random thoughts on life and work in Guanacaste and the Central Valley of Costa Rica. How to build a project quickly, seamlessly and efficiently (not!).


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