Can it actually be true? The blackouts that have plagued Nicaragua for months will be a thing of the past by Dec. 1, President Daniel Ortega has declared at a speech in front of the National Assembly.
Rundown power plants should be fully functioning in the next month and heavy rains are helping fuel a hydroelectric facility in the north. When combined, the improvements will help restore the 100 megawatts needed to light up the country.
Some business leaders are calling on Ortega to push for full energy by Nov. 15, as originally promised. Either way, hotel owners and residents are delighted to hear that the lights may soon be on for good.
Although many areas still face blackouts, heavily visited San Juan del Sur and Granada have been running smoothly for weeks. There are no scheduled blackouts as the towns prepare for the busy winter tourist season.
The only downside is that Nicaragua’s private electric company, Unión Fenosa, plans to raise rates by 9% over the next few months. But at least people are getting what they paid for—not to mention that many can save money by putting all those diesel generators, used for power during blackouts, in storage.
