As of 11 am today, representatives from the government will meet with union leaders to try to avoid a general strike by workers, who are asking for an 18% salary hike.

OIJ has released the results of its investigation into the fire at the Calderón Guardia Hospital in July. They have determined that the fire was not caused by faulty flourescent lighting or a short circuit. It began in a storage room with flammable materials and paper, probably with a match.

The OIJ is investigating 2 people as responsible, but did not release further details. 21 people died in the fire.

The ICE, CNFL and CoopeSantos have announced plans that will double Costa Rica’s production of electricity using wind farms within the next 3 years. Currently Costa Rica has 4 farms near Tilaran that have a production capacity of 71 megawatts.

ICE is opening a bidding process for an additional 60 MW plant to come online in 2008, the CNFL is making plans for a 15 MW plant near Santa Ana and Coope Santos is exploring 2 projects.

Costa Rica has the largest wind power capacity in Central America and ranks 16th in the world in Kilowatts per capita. Wind power is ideal, since winds are stronger in summer when Costa Rica loses hydroelectric capacity due to less rainfall. In this way they will avoid running diesel plants in order to meet demand.

ICE estimates that Costa Rica has an Aeolic potential of 600 Mega Watts with 274 sites identified, including: Bagaces, Montes de Oro, San Ramón y Coronado. This is important because using wind power doesn’t require diverting rivers or deforestation, which many communities oppose as evidenced by the recent referendum in Turrialba.

Current Power Distribution and Costs
Today, 82% of Costa Rica’s energy is hydroelectric, 14% geothermal (steam power), 3% Aeolic (wind) and 1% thermal (Diesel plants).

Clean and CheapWind power is not only clean, it is cheaper than other kinds of power due to advances in the technology. The average cost per kilowatt hour is $0.041, compared to geothermal at $0.052 and hydroelectric at $0.056. Thermal energy is currently almost 10 times as expensive at $0.40 per kilowatt hour.

Baja inversión. El costo de inversión por cada kilovatio instalado de energía eólica es de $1.101, mientras que el de la energía hidroeléctrica es de $1.637, el de la geotérmica oscila entre los $2.500 y los $3.800 y el de la térmica es de $600. Así consta en el plan de expansión eléctrica del ICE.

Travel agencies are already selling packages to see the national team play in Germany in June of 2006. Package prices range from $3000 to $6000 and Germany does not require visas for Costa Ricans who stay less than 3 months.

Many agencies offer travel clubs, so you begin paying a small amount now and can travel before you pay the entire bill (40% to 60%, depending on the agency). Some of the packages:

Times Square Viajes 2000: $3,500 to $5,000. They offer a travel club where you pay $30 per week for 132 weeks.

Fast: They won’t offer specific packages until the tournament lottery is made and they know where Costa Rica will play. They plan to have packages from $3,000 and up. You can get a $30 per week club and after 25 quotas you may travel.

Costa Rica Visión: One package is $3,900 for 2 weeks in Germany. A 3 week package is $5,900, and includes six other countries, which you would visit before the World Cup games. . The packages are $40 and $60 per week and may be used after 45 payments.

On Saturday night Costa Rica clinched their berth in the 2006 World Cup to be played next summer in Germany. The 3-0 victory snapped a six game unbeaten streak for the U.S. and was sweet revenge for the Ticos who suffered a loss by the same score in Salt Lake City earlier this year.

The match highlights were Paolo Cesar Wanchope becoming the all-time Costa Rican leading goal-scorer when he made the score 1-0 in the 34th minute. The shot was his 43rd goal in 66 games for “La Sele”. The MVP for Costa Rica sub Carlos Hernandez who entered in the 58th minute and scored 2 minutes later on a mean shot that glanced of the post to shake the nets. But that was just a practice goal, as the real artillery came out in the 88th minute as Hernandez let loose a cruise missile from outside the area that only the back of the net could stop.

On Wednesday will be the final round of the qualifier:
Costa Rica visits Guatemala
Panama visits the US
Mexico visits Trinidad and Tobago

Either Guatemala or Trinidad will earn a chance to qualify in a playoff with a team from Asia. Trinidad has 10 points and Guatemala 8, so a win or a tie will assure them a place. Guatemala needs to win and to get help from Mexico, who whipped them in Mexico on Saturday 5-2.