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Gas Natural Fenosa Trying to Keep Up With High Winds and Unreliable Grid


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RANT MODE ON.

For the past three weeks we have had horrible electrical service. Again this morning, just a bit short of four hours with no electricity. Service outages, brown outs, and surges are frequent occurrences in our area. I have used my label printing machine to permanently put the Fenosa telephone numbers and my NIS number on the edge of my built-in desk in the office.

A few days ago we took delivery of a replacement washing machine. I can't say definitively, but I strongly believe that power was the cause of that casualty. Before anyone chastises me, YES, we have surge protection and voltage regulators.

Besides the inconveniences of doing our Spanish homework by lantern, worrying about loosing frozen foods, replacing lots of batteries in our flashlights and lanterns, and light bulbs blowing out (yet another two just a few days ago), appliance replacements are more than petty cash. And our poor generator really got a workout when our electricity was out for four days.

Enough is enough. It can't be all because of winds and tree limbs. I can't imagine that there are that many trees in all of Panama.

RANT MODE OFF.

>:(>:(>:(

We are not happy campers. Are others in this area similar victims of poor electrical service?

To end on a positive note, the customer service people at Fenosa do answer their telephones 24x7 when I call in my trouble calls.

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Bud, that's pretty bad.  I'm sorry you are having this problem, and that on top of your $200 electric bill!  Have you tried calling Rodny and asking him to intervene?  He was successful getting a Union Fenosa problem solved for somebody else who had been running around in circles.

Regarding flashlights, I gave them up years ago in favor of the rechargeable lights.  They are much brighter (one lights a whole room), and they don't need batteries.  You find them at the Chinese stores.

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Bud:

People from provinces in Panama always complain that the utility and other services companies treat them like second class citizens.   They center their main operation in Panama City and the metropolitan area but do not do much in the Interior or provinces.  In Panama City there are not such problems that you suffered and if something happens they solved it quickly.

There is an Agency to complain about the service of utilities companies.  It is called ASEP.  I am not so sure how to do it but they could give you a hint on the ways to place a claim if you have any damaged appliance because of the power surges and brownouts.  I will suggest to look for that information and file a complain.  There is nothing to lose.  Just give it a try.

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Provincia de Chiriquí

Dirección: Edificio Multicredit Bank, Planta Baja.
Ciudad de David, Ave. Domingo Díaz y Calle A Norte.
Central Telefónica: (507) - 775-9623 / (507) - 775-9624
Facsímil: (507) - 775-9625
Línea Gratuita: (507) - 800-3683
Apartado Postal:4931, Zona 5 Panamá

Edited by Keith Woolford
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4 hours ago, JudyS said:

Bud, that's pretty bad.  I'm sorry you are having this problem, and that on top of your $200 electric bill! 

In an earlier forum on the subject of electrical service, I joined Bud and Marcelyn in complaining about the cost of electricity. My utility bills started out being in the $125 to $140per month range. Being used to electricity bills in the States, and having plenty of other things to attend to associated with settling in, it took me a while to realize that this was much higher than that of others. Over the years I sought the services of three different electricians, none of whom offered suggestions that solved the problem. Then, about a year ago, my bill went to between $160 and $180 dollars a month. Exasperated but determined to get to the bottom of this, I asked Juan Arauz for help. He came and recommended five things: change to LED light bulbs; replace my fish pond pump with a more efficient one; put a timer on my one electric hot water heate;, do some rewiring in the electric box; and replace my refrigerator/freezer with a more energy efficient model. At significant expense, I did all of this with the exception of replacing the refrigerator (having just had to replace my washer and dryer, which was an expensive and unpleasant experience in and of itself). I sat back and waited for my next utility bill.

It had gone up to $190!!!

I went to Juan's office with the bill, and he concluded that something had to be wrong on Fenosa's end. He came to the house once again and, in ways I don't understand, measured the electricity coming from the pole to my house compared to actual usage. It was a job that took a couple of hours. He recorded his findings and found that there was a problem with Fenosa's transformer outside my house. He told me he had encountered the same issue with another client and successfully had Fenosa rectify it and reimburse the client for past overcharges, although it took several months. So, armed with his findings, he went directly to Fenosa. Miraculously, they met him here that very afternoon and, after some testing of their own, agreed with his findings and made some repairs/changes.

The bill I received about three weeks ago was $16.74! I assume a substantial portion of that is reimbursement, but I finally have hope that I've gotten to the bottom of the problem, although it will take me a long time to recover what I've paid over the years.

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1 hour ago, Bud said:

Thank you to all who have come to our assistance. Many good thoughts here.

Marcelyn and I have discussed these new options, and we plan to follow through. Will post the results when we get to that milestone.

Hola Bud,

I have a general question about emergency generators as several folks use them. Is your generator isolated from the mains power when you are using it?  Here in the US, the installation of an emergency generator requires that the main power lines to the house be disconnected from the generator output to protect power line workers.  It also prevents your generator output from powering up other houses on your circuit (which can overload your generator).

As to excessive billing charges like those that Bonnie has posted, many times there are one or more houses illegally connected downstream to your meter and you are paying for the neighborhood's electrical usage.  Those extra connections can also lead to outages and low voltage which ruins appliances as much as overvoltage.

jim

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There is no wind folks. What is Fenosa's excuse this time?

If I am ever driven away from this "Paradise Found" it will be for the appalling service of Union Fenosa. There is absolutely no wind outside so why would the power in Volcancito this evening be so intermittent?

It's amazing that 100+ years after the opening of the Panama Canal this country can still not provide reliable electric power. Anybody who believes Panama has moved away from "3rd World" hasn't experienced Fenosa's lame delivery system in Chiriqui.

Can there really be a valid reason for this poor level of service?

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The older I get, the less resilient I've become. What was once annoying is now exasperating. If and when I decide to leave, electrical service will be at the top of my list of reasons, too. I find it peculiar that Panamanians will strike and will block roads over all sorts of issues, but, as far as I know, poor electrical service isn't one of them. The people and the government should demand better from Fenosa.

Fenosa's inattention to issues can be extremely dangerous.There's the infamous pole next to the municipal mercado, for example, that is/was within reach of both pedestrians and vehicles and even bore a sign that said it was dangerous. I also remember a year or so ago when a tall metal pole on the side of my street (which served absolutely no purpose) was sparking and popping loudly whenever it was windy and the electrical lines blew into it. Children walk up and down this road every day, children who could have been killed had they touched the pole at the wrong time. But it took three trips to the Fenosa office and innumerable phone calls to have someone come to look at it. Then, all they did was bend the pole back a little.

Edited by Bonnie
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10 hours ago, John R Hampton said:

If I am ever driven away from this "Paradise Found" it will be for the appalling service of Union Fenosa. There is absolutely no wind outside so why would the power in Volcancito this evening be so intermittent?

It's amazing that 100+ years after the opening of the Panama Canal this country can still not provide reliable electric power. Anybody who believes Panama has moved away from "3rd World" hasn't experienced Fenosa's lame delivery system in Chiriqui.

Can there really be a valid reason for this poor level of service?

Hola John,

I would remind everyone that Panama did not open the canal.  There was a country up north that did that. Panama did have the expansion built but we are seeing how that turned out.

Panama revolves around Panama City, Colon, and the area between those two cities. Of the 3.5 million people, 1,5+ million live in that small area.  Chiriqui and the other provinces are left mostly on their own for problem resolution.  The population of resident expats is of little concern.  Unless expats can prove that the bit of money they spend is of importance to the country's economy, expats will continue to be very far down the list.

I have been visiting Chiriqui for 40+ years.  The locals are accustomed to not having infrastructure that is reliable; mostly they just shrug and keep going.  It is what it is.

jim

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When faced with repeated interruptions to electrical service people have multiple choices.

1/ Equip themselves to ride out the interruptions

2/ File a complaint with the supervising authority

3/ Bitch about it on the Internet

A bit of preparation allowed me to watch an entire NHL hockey game from start to finish last night, uninterrupted. The Toronto Maple Leafs won in Overtime.

Edited by Keith Woolford
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I am not really understanding this whining about the electricity being out.  If you live in the right location you do not need electricity for heating or cooling.  Nor for water delivery or cooking, unless you have chosen to live at the top of a high rise with an electric stove.  So that leaves lights and entertainment.  Some battery powered devices should fix the former and if you can't exist for a few hours without USA Today (or whatever) then you really shouldn't be here.  Cheap battery back-ups will power computer equipment for a couple of hours.  If you are a person to whom electricity is a necessity (medical springs to mind) then either invest in a generator or move to Panama City.  Yes, the power is going out with greater regularity these days but, in the grand scheme of things, it is not essential 24/7.  It's all about self-reliance folks.  

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Pat,

Keith is probably a lot more "peopl-ey" than I am ( not that that says anything about his choice of hockey teams)   If you can get past my electric fence and the alarm system ( both on back- ups) there is always the "Secondhand lion" sitting on the front deck.  

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It is what it is.  The longer we live here the more accustomed we are to failures. 

On the coast in Veraguas where it's hot as hell power goes out for 10-15 hours at a time on a regular basis.  Along with that the phone system seems to fail.  Computer speed is snail slow all the time.   So we thank God we chose to live here in Boquete.  We don't get too tweeked when power fails for a time here. (for one thing it's nice and cool up here and you don't need a fan when you are without power.)  It's all relative I guess. If we were back in Florida where my husband was raised, we'd be paying $300-500/mo electric bills....

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We were having dinner last night (Tuesday) at a downtown Boquete restaurant when the electricity went off and on four times...each time with a loud bang and screech. The waitress brought a very small lantern to our table which didn't help much and we still couldn't see what we were eating. Decided to hold on to my glass and fork ...... might not be able to find them again in the dark.

Stumbled out the restaurant door, down the stairs to our car. Another exciting or maybe a "life story" adventure.

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Everyone's points are valid. But we pay for electricity (some of us more dearly than others), and it is simply factual that we have come to rely on electricity. I have multiple flashlights within easy reach all over the house, but there are still times when I have to grope about in the absolute dark. This is dangerous, particularly for those of us who are elderly and for whom a fall could be devastating. This danger is multiplied when the lights go out repeatedly. When I arrived home from David about 7:00 last night, the electricity went out just as I was approaching my front door. Were it not for the light in my iPhone, I would not have been able to see to put the key in the lock as there are no streetlights here. Add to this the wear and tear on electrical appliances and light fixtures. Before I got my expensive LED light bulbs, which must be more resistant to surges, I was replacing two or three light bulbs a week during times of electricity unreliability. And, like Bud and Marcelyn, I suspect the recent death of my washing machine to be attributable to surges. I keep my new one unplugged when not in use, as a repairman recommended. I remain of the view that we have a right to expect better service. I intend to file a complaint, and I hope others will too. Panamanians will not because, as some have pointed, they have come to expect poor service.

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We put the entire house on a 3 minute timer delay.  When power comes back on...it's 3 minutes before we gets ours.  That minimizes ( or possibly eliminates) the surge destruction. .I know you can get plug in lights that will go on immediately when the power is out.  They stay in your wall sockets.  Kind of a cool idea.  I have these glow in the dark led flashlights all over the house.   Another thing we found that is totally cool is a multiple bank led lamp.  It will light up the entire living room and stay on for hours on one charge.  We bought those for trips to the coast so we can read when power's out.   I still haven't found a battery operated fan for those trips.  Man the heat is brutal.  When power's out on the coast, you go outside for a night breeze to sleep in the hammock?...you get Dengue there.

Edited by Brundageba
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2 hours ago, JohnF13 said:

Pat,

Keith is probably a lot more "peopl-ey" than I am ( not that that says anything about his choice of hockey teams)   If you can get past my electric fence and the alarm system ( both on back- ups) there is always the "Secondhand lion" sitting on the front deck.  

JohnF13:   Interested in the electric fence idea. What is the cost of insurance for this?

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1 hour ago, Pat said:

JohnF13:   Interested in the electric fence idea. What is the cost of insurance for this?

Pat,

I use a high powered animal fence.  If it keeps cows in, I am sure I will hear the squeal of a maleante as he climbs over it.  It is unobtrusive, so you dont really know it is there.  Won't kill anyone, so no need for insurance.  Total cost, including battery backup is less than $1000, and that's my estimate for covering over 3 acres.

Bonnie, look at a motion activated light backed with a small UPS at your entry door.  It will come on as you approach and stay on for whatever time you set.  They have a second purpose too - if it doesn't come on it is time to be suspicious and call a friend without getting out of your car.  For those a bit unsteady on their feet, the plug in lights that come on when the power goes out (Do-It, around $25 or less) will give plenty of light and security.  In a power outage of less than 4-5 hours there is no reason why you should have to fumble around in the dark.  

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