WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

Table 2
Classification of small hydropower in Central America
Country
Small
(MW)
Mini
(kW)
Micro
(kW)
Pico
(kW)
Belize .. .. .. ..
Costa Rica < 20 .. .. ..
El Salvador < 20 .. .. ..
Guatemala .. .. .. ..
Honduras .. .. .. ..
Mexico < 30 < 500 < 100 < 10
Nicaragua .. .. .. ..
Panama < 10 .. .. ..
Regional overview
Hydropower plays an important role in most Central
American countries, contributing significantly to the
countries’ electricity production. The countries
considered in this report use small hydropower, albeit
to varying degrees. The known installed small
hydropower capacity in Central America is 598.5 MW
and the known small hydropower potential is 4,025
MW.
Table 3
Small hydropower up to 10 MW in Central America
(Megawatts)
Country Potential Installed capacity
Belize 51.3 7.3
Costa Rica at least 91.1 91.1
El Salvador 113.9 15.2
Guatemala at least 62.7 35.6
Honduras 385.0 54.1
Mexico 3 250.0 353.5
Nicaragua 40.0 2.9
Panama 122.3 38.8
Total 4 116.3 598.5
Sources: See country reports
Notes: El Salvador has a small hydropower potential (up to 20 MW)
of 180.8 MW. The small hydropower potential of Mexico has been
reported in different publications with a total value close to 3,250
MW, but this broad estimate is based on inferences from
international statistics and not on a resource assessment.
Table 3 shows small hydropower potential estimates.
Mexico has the largest potential for small hydropower
in the region, but it has not been assessed nationwide.
The outlook for small hydropower in the region seems
positive. The governments take climate change
mitigation seriously and encourage small hydropower.
For example, in El Salvador, plans to develop
renewable energy have been identified in a Master
Plan (March 2012). Honduras has a revolving fund to
help finance small hydropower plants up to 5 MW
(installed capacity) since year 1999. 10 With regard to
climate change, Costa Rica has an ambitious National
Development Plan that aims to achieve carbon
neutrality by 2021. It also aims to reach an
electrification rate of 100 per cent using decentralized
systems. However, there is limited private sector
participation at the moment. 10
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