ATOME PLC (formerly ATOME Energy PLC), Leeds, UK, announced on Feb. 14 that National Ammonia Corp. SA (NAC), its Central American subsidiary, has entered into a Framework Collaboration Agreement with Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the Costa Rican state power company, to evaluate feasibility for the power supply to a green ammonia and fertilizer project in Costa Rica.
An agreement is expected to be entered into following the conclusion of the studies in the second half of 2024. ATOME said the project has been endorsed by Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves, along with key members of his cabinet. ATOME noted that Costa Rica’s electricity grid is 99% powered by renewable sources and managed by ICE, making it one of the greenest countries in the world.
The Costa Rican Project is expected to be similar in size to ATOME’s Villeta Project in Paraguay, which is expected to produce 250,000 mt/y of green calcium ammonia nitrate (GM Jan. 19, p. 25).
“Within a year since the creation of NAC, thanks to the significant progress on our Villeta project and our strong local team led by Cavendish SA, we have been able to establish an excellent working relationship with ICE with the aim of building Costa Rica’s first green fertilizer facility,” said Olivier Mussat, ATOME CEO.
The company noted that Costa Rica imports all of its fertilizer needs. “There is a substantial local market for the fertilizer we intend to produce as well as being strategically located to access global markets,” Mussat said.
“Whilst the 145MW Villeta Phase 1 Project remains the near-term priority of the team, the progress made on Costa Rica is significant news for ATOME,” he continued. “Beyond adding another flagship project to our pipeline, it is a demonstration of ATOME’s business plan and its growing reputation as a world leader in green fertilizer. It also shows that ATOME’s own developed technical and commercial IP is able to be replicated on a cost-effective basis elsewhere giving us a significant edge in speed of mobilization, costs, and efficacy.”