Electricity use in Honduras is projected to grow over the next three years, and the bulk of the new installed capacity between now and 2025 will be hydropower (36%).
Electricity use is forecast to grow 3.05% in 2022, 3.41% in 2023 and 3.48% in 2024, to 11,340 GWh, 11,728 GWh and 12,172 GWh, in a base scenario. The forecast comes from power grid coordinator ODS’s latest long-term operational planning report.
Maximum demand in 2022, 2023 and 2024 in the base scenario is forecast to hit 1,793 MW, 1,854 MW and 1,918 MW, respectively.
According to the outlook, installed capacity by 2025 will reach 3,122 MW, with hydro leading at 36%, followed by thermal resources (31.5%), solar (16%), biomass (7.53%), wind (7.5%) and geothermal (1.28%).
ODS said that available capacity this year will range from 1,668 MW to 2,382 MW due to planned maintenance at large plants, stored volumes at hydropower facilities, and the variable nature of renewable resources.
The 64-page report also pointed to the planned startup this year of hydro projects such as 60 MW Yaguala and 16.4 MW Jilamito in the fourth quarter. and the 198 MW Tornillito facility in 2024.
