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The first power purchase agreement is now signed for a utility-scale wind plant in Costa Rica. An agreement for the 20 MW project was clinched in early February between Merrill International Ltd and the national utility in the Central American nation, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE). The project is being jointly developed with Kenetech “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç and a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities, Charter Oak Energy Inc. Construction will begin in May with commercial operation scheduled for early 1996. The plant will use 55 of Kenetech's variable speed turbines. Equity financing is expected from Charter Oak Energy and local Costa Rican partners. The project has been approved under a bilateral aid programme to reduce greenhouse gases, the US Initiative on Joint Implementation.