Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Preparing for Dam Construction

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Jan 25 2011 (IPS) - With plans to begin construction in February, the Patuca III hydroelectric complex, in the northeastern Honduran department of Olancho, will require an investment of 250 million dollars, according to official sources. Carlos Díaz, of the state-run National Electrical Energy Agency (ENEE) and one of the coordinators of the Patuca project, told Tierramérica that delegates from the Chinese firm Sinohydro, responsible for the construction, visited the area in mid-January to finalize details and prepare for environmental compliance measures.

Patuca III is the first of three dams that Sinohydro plans to build in the next four years and is part of the renewable energy plan promoted by the Honduran government. The total cost of the three dams is about 1.2 billion dollars.

The Patuca III is expected to begin generated 104 megawatts in three years. In order to protect the reservoir, which will cover 72 square kilometers, a forest barrier was designed.