Federal demand strains Costa Mar's hydro margins as dry season tightens

The Laguna Verde reservoir, which supplies sixty percent of Costa Mar's generation capacity, stood at 62 percent of full capacity on 21 September, according to readings from the Federal Hydro Authority's Puerto Azul station. That figure is 8 percentage points below the ten-year average for this date, and the decline accelerates as the dry season deepens. The rainy season does not return until May.

Federal demand for Costa Mar's surplus power has grown steadily over the past two years, driven by rising consumption in Oriente Moderno and Nord Europa. The Federal Treasury has committed to purchasing 180 megawatts of Costa Mar's export capacity through the first quarter of 2027, a twenty percent increase from the same period last year. Marina Delgado, the regional Marine and Energy Minister, said in an interview that the export obligation is now the subject of "active discussion" with Meridian.

The strain comes as Costa Mar's tourism operators and small hydroelectric cooperatives report rising pressure on their own water allocations. Local dive operators say that reduced freshwater discharge into the reef zones has altered salinity levels, affecting coral stress measurements. A captain who runs a small-boat fishing cooperative said fuel costs have already squeezed margins; now water scarcity is adding another layer of uncertainty to the working week.