Costa Rica Grid Safety Upgrade Project

1. Project Introduction

Between 2021 and 2025, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) invested 1.98 billion colóns in a grid safety upgrade aimed at reducing electrocution of monkeys, sloths, birds and sea turtles. The project includes 57 km of semi‑insulated overhead conductors, 177 wildlife crossings, 3,007 anti‑climbing devices, 227 isolation transformers, 110 electrostatic devices and 211 amber lamps designed to protect nesting sea turtles. As the largest eco‑friendly grid modernization effort in Central America, it placed severe technical demands on cable suppliers: cables must withstand tropical rainforest climate, resist animal bites and mechanical damage, and carry UL certification to pass ICE’s import and technical review.

2. Project Background & Key Challenges

The project is located in Costa Rica’s tropical rainforest and coastal zones. During the dry season, ground surface temperatures exceed 50°C; during the rainy season, humidity nears saturation and underground conduits remain flooded for months. UV radiation is intense year‑round. An even greater challenge comes from wildlife: monkeys and rodents frequently chew through cable jackets, causing insulation damage, short circuits and animal deaths. Bare or thinly insulated overhead conductors crossing the forest canopy easily electrocute sloths and other arboreal species. Moreover, the 227 isolation transformers and 110 electrostatic devices are scattered in remote areas with cramped termination spaces, requiring highly flexible and abrasion‑resistant internal wiring. All cables must be UL‑certified to meet ICE import standards, and any cable failure would result in costly field repairs and negative ecological impact.

3. Product Selection & Causal Logic

To address these challenges, we selected three UL‑listed cable types. First, MC armored cable (UL 1569, 0.6/1kV, 90°C dry / 75°C wet, interlocked aluminum armor + XLPE insulation, suitable for outdoor direct burial and exposed environments) was used for the main feeders from isolation transformers to distribution panels, as well as wall‑penetrating and canopy‑level vertical runs. The aluminum armor withstands point impacts exceeding 200 lbs, preventing monkey bites from reaching the insulation; the armor also serves as an integral grounding conductor, eliminating a separate ground wire; it passes UL VW‑1 flame test and requires no conduit, cutting installation labor by 30%. Second, XHHW-2 building wire (UL 44, 600V, 90°C wet/dry, XLPE insulation with SUN RES sunlight‑resistant marking, suitable for overhead, direct burial and wet conduits) was chosen for the 57 km of semi‑insulated overhead conductors and underground sections. XLPE has water absorption below 0.1% by weight, so insulation resistance stays above 100 MΩ even after months of rainy‑season flooding; the 90°C wet rating ensures no degradation under high heat and humidity; the SUN RES jacket resists UV cracking and withstands tree sap and diesel exposure. Third, TFFN fixture wire (UL 83, 600V, 90°C dry, PVC + nylon jacket, finely stranded copper conductors, suitable for control cabinets and junction boxes) was used for secondary wiring of isolation transformers, electrostatic devices and anti‑climbing sensors. The nylon jacket provides abrasion and oil resistance; the 18–14 AWG stranded conductors can bend sharply into cramped terminal blocks; its flat profile saves space, and clean stripping reduces termination time by 20%.

4. Project Results

After the first installations, MC armored cable in the canopy sections survived two rainy seasons and frequent monkey activity without a single insulation failure caused by animal bites. XHHW-2 overhead spans, exposed to 50°C dry‑season surface heat and months of flooding, all measured insulation resistance above 200 MΩ – far exceeding ICE’s 10 MΩ minimum requirement. TFFN wiring inside the 227 isolation transformers achieved zero shorts and zero signal errors. The main phase of the project was completed by 2025, and wildlife electrocution deaths dropped by approximately 65% year‑on‑year. The amber lamps and anti‑climbing devices, powered reliably by the new cables, helped raise sea turtle hatching rates to historic highs. ICE’s project acceptance report explicitly noted that correct cable selection and on‑site installation efficiency were key factors in delivering the project on schedule.

5. Customer Feedback

“We have maintained Costa Rica’s power grid for over a decade, and our biggest headaches have always been monkeys chewing cables and insulation degradation during the rainy season. For this ICE upgrade, the MC armored cable you recommended was installed on the most troublesome lines – sections that used to require two or three repairs per month have now run for eight months without a single issue. XHHW-2’s sunlight and water resistance also exceeded our expectations – every previous rainy season we had to measure insulation and replace failed sections, but this year all XHHW-2 segments passed in one go. TFFN was a pleasure to work with inside the transformer boxes; the nylon jacket strips cleanly without nicking the copper. Your UL documentation package was complete, and both customs and ICE technical review passed on the first attempt. We plan to use this same cable selection for our upcoming rural electrification projects.” – Carlos M., Field Electrical Lead, ICE Grid Safety Upgrade Project

6. Sales & Technical Pitch

UL certification is not just a piece of paper – it is a commitment to protecting lives and assets under extreme conditions. Whether you face tropical rainforest animal bites, desert high temperatures, or island salt spray corrosion, our technical team can – as we did on the Costa Rica grid project – precisely match MC armored, XHHW-2, TFFN and other UL cables to your site conditions, and provide a complete certification file that helps you pass overseas owner acceptance on the first try. Choose us, and you receive not a standard product catalog but a field‑proven “environment – cable – installation” full‑link solution. Contact us for case study packages and samples.

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