Ecobreves – HONDURAS: China to Finance Ambitious Hydroelectric Project

By - - and IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Sep 20 2010 (IPS) - The government of Honduras announced the construction of the Patuca I, II and III hydroelectric dam, over the course of three years beginning January 2011 at a cost of one billion dollars financed by a Chinese firm. Roberto Martínez, manager of the state-run National Electrical Energy Enterprise (ENEE), told Tierramérica that the construction will begin on the banks of the Patuca River, which crosses the northeastern department of Olancho. It is expected to have a capacity of 525 megawatts.

“There is a strong effort to take up production of clean energy. An agreement of understanding has been signed with the Chinese company Sinohydro, and construction will begin in January,” Martínez said.

Honduras relies largely on thermoelectric energy, which supplies 61.8 percent of demand. The rest comes from hydro (32.5 percent) and biomass (5.7), according to ENEE.