The overfall weir at the reservoir in La Esperanza, Honduras.
Inside the power plant turbines manage the electricity supply.
Comprising three buildings, the whole power plant has a nominal capacity of 14.622 MW.
Construction of the electricity system for surrounding villages. The long-term inclusion of local employees was a main objective of our project partner CISA.
The upper reservoir has a capacity of 356,000m³. From the pressurized pipelines, the water is diverted towards the turbines.
To keep the environmental impact as low as possible, the required surface for the reservoir was compensated with a reforestation project, where local employees are responsible for the cultivation of seedlings.
Up to now, more than 60,000 seedlings were planted on uncultivated surfaces, with more being planned.

Summary

Total savings :ca. 20,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year
Local environment :Minimal environmental impact due to pre-existing infrastructure and small reservoir
Further advantages :Stabilization of the local grid, electrification of four nearby villages
Jobs :50 permanent positions
Project partners :CISA, a small enterprise based in Honduras

Rural electrification

A small hydropower plant (13.8 MW) in Honduras produces climate-friendly electricity in Intibucá, a remote region near the border with El Salvador. The plant is located four kilometers outside the city of La Esperanza, on the Intibucá River. For the local population, the plant is a huge gain: CISA and atmosfair have connected 4 villages to the electricity grid for the first time. Previously, households in those villages mainly used wood for cooking and diesel generators to produce electricity. The power plant feeds green electricity into the national grid throughout the year. It thereby stabilizes energy supply also in those villages that were already connected to the power grid: Before the plant started operation, strong voltage fluctuations and power cuts were common. In total, “La Esperanza” supplies 25,000 households with clean renewable electricity.

Model project for environmentally friendly use of hydropower

The project in Honduras is very unique: The construction of the “La Esperanza” dam has revived an old, decaying dam and built on the existing structures. The environmental impact is low because the size of the reservoir remained unchanged and no new areas were flooded. Due to the steep slope of the Intibucá River of 400 m, only a small amount of water is needed to generate the energy required for operating the turbines. Therefore, the reservoir is relatively small.

Our partner

atmosfair’s partner Consorcio de Inversiones S.A. (CISA) developed the project. The local population was closely involved from the very beginning.  In addition to operating the hydroelectric power plant, CISA focuses on creating additional social and environmental benefits for the region. CISA provides numerous secure jobs, ensures the ecological enhancement of the region through its reforestation program, and offers a number of community projects and educational opportunities in the surrounding villages and schools.

Your contact at atmosfair

Dr. Ute Werner
Project Manager
Chemist
+49 (0) 30 120 84 80 - 36