Honduras to tender 14 dam projects

Honduras is readying necessary studies for tendering 14 flood control dams, following the devastation of tropical storm Eta and hurricane Iota last November. 

Chief-of-staff Ebal Díaz told local media recently that a technical team from an undisclosed trust is carrying out the studies, which will be financed by the finance ministry (SEFIN), according to local news site Tiempo Digital. 

Instructions to prioritize the dams have also already been included in executive decree PWC-138-2020 published in the official gazette last year, the minister said. 

None of the dams will generate electricity; their sole purpose is to prevent floods, he reportedly said.

Yet, several new dams have been promised since 2015. 

Tropical storm Eta and hurricane Iota, which devastated Central America, caused damage of 45.6bn lempiras (US$1.87bn) in Honduras, according to a report from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

Dams at Ulúa river, which caused most flooding in the Sula Valley, would be the initial focus.

One dam would be El Tablón in Choluteca city, estimated to cost US$213mn if it was built by 2022, according to local news site Notimérica.

Others are the Los Llanitos and Jicatuyo dams in Santa Barbara district, according to a government statement from December. Estimated investment for both is US$800mn.