Costa Rica

Getting Electricity in

Costa Rica

Below is a detailed summary of the procedures, time and cost required for a business to obtain an electricity connection for a newly constructed building in Costa Rica.

This information was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 185 economies. The most recent round of data collection was completed in June 2012.

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  • Standardized Company

  • Name of Utility: Compania Nacional de Fuerza y Luz
  • City: San José

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 The customer submits his application and awaits an estimate from Compania Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL)

The service is generally requested in person. The customer has to file the following documents with the application form:
• the electrical plans,
• the cadastre plans
• and a copy of the applicant's ID.
Depending of the nature of the work, more documents might be required. None of these documents require notary's certification.

Agency: Compania Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL) 		8 calendar days CRC 35,000.0
* 2 Employees of the Section "Electric networks design" of Compania Nacional de Fuerza y Luz visit the place

An inspection is necessary to prepare the technical report.
Agency: Compania Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL) 		1 calendar day no charge
3 Employees of CNFL's Section "Electric networks design" prepare the design and start the necessary pre-arrengements previous to the initiation of the works

After the inspection the utility will issue a technical report. The client is given the designs and a list with the providers authorized by the CNFL to do the connection works.
The design itself is prepared by CNFL -indicating the works and materials required. Should the installation of a transformers be required the design is prepared by the Section for the Design of Electrical Networks of CNFL. In order to establish whether this is necessary, the Engineering Study is issued; if the connection can be done with underground cables, the work can be designed by an outside electric engineer, who is registered with the Colegio de Ingenieros Electricistas, Mecánicos e Industriales (CFIA). In that case, the designs are presented to CNFL for approval. Until they are approved and the Engineering Study is issued, no works can be done.

Agency: Compania Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL) 		14 calendar days no charge
4 The client hires a private company to do the works according to the plans issued by CNFL

The external connection works have to be done by a firm that has been authorized by the CNFL to do medium voltage network construction work. There are 21 firms with such authorization in the capital city. Once the supply contract between the client and the authorized provider has been signed, it is filed with CNFL. It takes approx. 3 days to start the works and, once supervised, the construction can start. The construction cannot start if there is not initiation date determined by the CNFL.
The internal wiring installation can be done by any electrician hired by the client, but it has to be supervised by the engineer responsible for the design of the electric installation. CNFL does not conduct any inspections of the internal wiring. The internal wiring installation requires previous plans approved by an electric engineer authorized by Colegio de Ingenieros Electricistas, Mecánicos e Industriales (CFIA) and the works have to be supervised by the CFIA or by another electric engineer. No certificate of compliance with NEC rules is emitted nor can it be requested. The plans approved by CFIA will have to be filed with the CNFL by the time the meter installation is requested.
3 transformers of 50 kVA have to be installed inside the client's private property. The client has to pay for them. They can be installed in a post inside the private property (it's not allowed to install them in public places) or in a transformers vault.


Agency: Empresa privada 		26 calendar days USD 17,500.0
5 CNFL installs the meter and energizes the project

Once the works have been finalized, in order to have definitive connection, the client has to request the meter. A donation document for the transformers (transferring ownership to the utility) is prepared and confirmed that no money is owed by the client. The payments that the customer has to make to CNFL have to be done in the Section of Electric Networks Design. The payment receipt has to be shown later in the office of Engineering Study to be able to go to this step (the Engineering Study).
There is a guarantee deposit that is calculated according to the consumption. It represents one month consumption. The minimum amount of guarantee for the residential customer is ¢ 15.500, and for businesses the minimum amount is ¢ 25.000. This deposit is required for all clients requesting a new service. The deposit is refundable and after five years it begins to generate interests. It is reimbursed when the client terminates the service. The deposit covers the installation of the meter equipment with its materials. Additionally it covers the operation costs and the service maintenance.
Normally CNFL tries to both inspect the works and install the meter at the same time. CNFL charges between 2 and 3% of the cost of the works only for the reception and the powering. The responsible to pay this fee is the client. Therefore, this cost is normally included in the estimation of costs sent to the client. If the service requires power transformers or a specific meter, they are installed by CNFL without extra costs.
The installation of the meter is exclusive responsibility of CNFL. The internal installation planes approved by the Engineers Association and the electrician's certification have to be sent to CNFL before the final powering.

Agency: Compania Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL) 		14 calendar days CRC 1,179,478.5
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.
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