Economy, Energy

Nicaragua has no petroleum reserves and depends in large part on imported sources of energy. In 1999 some 67 percent of the country’s electricity was generated in conventional oil-fired facilities, 18 percent in hydroelectric installations, and 15.03 percent from renewable sources, primarily geothermal. The country has one small petroleum refinery, owned and operated by Exxon Corporation, which imports all the crude oil it refines. Power shortages and rationing still occur in the cities, and wood remains an important fuel, especially in rural areas.