Regulator
Rejects Steep
Hike In Gasoline
Prices
The Autoridad
Reguladora de
los Servicios
Públicos (Aresep)
said it has
refused a
request by the
state refinery,
the Refinadora
Costarricense de
Petróleo (Recope),
to increase
gasoline prices
by as much as
¢41 colones a
litre, which
purpose was to
finance
operating
expenses and
fund
infrastructure
projects.
The petition was
filed on the
last day of work
of the previous
administration.
The Aresep said
it refused the
application
since the Recope
did not follow
"procedure" as
set out by
regulator,
according to
Carolina Mora,
spokesperson for
the Aresep.
The rules allow
the state
refinery to
request such an
adjustment once
a year, the last
adjustment being
made in 2008.
What the Aresep
did approve was
a ¢5 colones
increase in the
price of a litre
of super
gasoline, ¢6 for
regular or plus
and ¢1 for
diesel.
The adjustment
reflects changes
in the price of
crude oil on
international
markets.
The increase
that is to take
effect as late
as next week
will push up the
price of a litre
of gasoline to
¢623 form the
current ¢618;
regular or plus
to ¢592 from
¢586; and diesel
to ¢518 from
¢517.
The approval is
waiting
publication in
the official
government
newsletter, La
Gaceta, by the
middle of the
month or sooner.
According to
figures provided
by the Recope,
gasoline
consumption is
1.8% this year
over the same
period last
year. Increases
have been
registered in
aviation fuel,
kerosene,
natural gas,
super and
regular
gasolines, while
a drop in diesel
fuel consumption
was recorded.
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