Two electric cooperatives in Costa Rica, established with help from U.S. electric coops, recently marked their 50th anniversaries.
In 1965, NRECA International helped form Coopelesca (Cooperativa de Electrificacion Rural de San Carlos) and Coopeguanacaste (Cooperativa de Electrificacion Rural de Guanacaste) with funding provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Collectively today, they serve more than 145,000 member-owners and own more than 50 megawatts of hydroelectric and wind energy generation resources.
Costa Rica is one of 40 countries around the world where NRECA International helped the local people establish rural electrification programs. The international program helped provide more than 75 million people with access to safe, reliable and affordable electricity.