The Honduran Association of Electric Power Producers reports on the crisis

This Honduran Association of Electric Power Producers release was published using machine translation.

1. The generating companies comply daily with providing the maximum generation capacity in accordance with the requests made by the National Dispatch Center (CND-ENEE) and the restrictions of the transmission network. Private generation companies have provided the highest generation possible during 2023, with the purpose of minimizing the deficit exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon.

2. On the website of the National Dispatch Center https://ods.org.hn/ you can see the daily contribution of the private generation plants and how they have helped to sustain the needs of the demand. Both the thermal generators and the renewable generators have complied with the production of the contracted energy to satisfy the needs of the demand.

3. Due to the climatic conditions caused by the El Niño phenomenon, private generation companies have provided more generation during the year 2023. Considering that public and private hydroelectric projects have been limited by the lack of rain, other technologies that do not dependent on water resources have provided the energy available to supply the demand. The following graph shows the energy production by different technologies in the first four months of the years 2022 and 2023.

4. From the previous data, it stands out that the thermal plants are providing more energy compared to the period of [January-April] 2022, due to the fact that their greater generation is required due to the crisis generated by the lack of rain.

5. We consider it important that the authorities of the National Electric Power Company (ENEE) take into account the following recommendations to reduce the deficit:

a) Promote the participation of generation plants in the Opportunity Market, allowing Generators and Self-producers that comply with the provisions of the current regulation and are authorized by the Electric Energy Regulatory Commission (CREE) and the National Dispatch Center (CND), can sell surplus energy. This is aimed at reducing the generation deficit.

b) Simultaneously, complete the bidding process for the 450 MW of power and energy, since it is the only real and sustainable solution to combat the generation deficit in the medium term.

c) Reduce the total electrical losses of 38% that the ENEE currently has so that it can guarantee it can make the necessary investments in generation, transmission and distribution, in addition to the operation and maintenance of the current infrastructure. It is important to prioritize the construction of the transmission network from the southern zone to the northern zone, since this would allow us to take advantage of the energy from the solar and wind plants that are limited in their generation by this restriction.

d) Additionally, it is important to take into account the value of the water from the El Cajón Hydroelectric Dam and the need for a correct administration of this resource, for the moments of greatest need, that is, El Cajón should function as storage in times of abundance to make use it in periods of drought.

6. The Honduran Association of Electricity Producers condemns the acts of vandalism carried out last night against a voltage regulator in the area of San Juan Pueblo, Atlántida, which allows synchronization and makes possible the delivery of energy from two hydroelectric generators, which they could be delivering energy to minimize the effects of the deficit. We urge the Honduran population not to commit this type of act that prevents the continuity of the electric power service and exacerbates the situation in the country.

7. We reiterate our commitment to seek technical solutions backed by law to solve the country's energy crisis.