Nicaragua unveils projects to guarantee hydropower supply

Nicaragua’s state power company Enel looks to secure external financing to help carry out “priority” projects to shore up hydroelectric capacity.

The planned work includes the substitution of forced piping at the Carlos Fonseca (pictured) and Centro América plants, each of 50MW.

According to Enel, the piping has reached the end of its useful life, at over 50 years since installation. The overhaul would replace 668m at Carlos Fonseca and 672m at Centro América, among other sections of piping.

The forced piping at both plants is of carbon steel with a diameter of 3m, the company said.

Carlos Fonseca is also targeted for the replacement of its concrete tile-lined water supply channels which stretch 2.7km.

Another project entails civil works to protect the machine house of the 17MW Larreynaga plant to mitigate the impact of climate change.

Hydropower accounts for around 9% of Nicaragua’s installed capacity and the government envisions adding 400MW from the source in the coming years.

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