NewsWhore
09-08-2011, 04:30 PM
There are 35 dams in the Dominican Republic and the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) is carrying out a feasibility study for building 12 more to provide irrigation for 77,378 hectares in addition to the current 150,808. Nine of the new dams, which will also generate energy, will have an installed potential of producing an additional 80 megawatts to the 460.3 MW that are now being generated by the hydro-electric plants that provide 15% of the national energy supply.
The investment in these 12 systems is estimated to be US$947.5 million and each dam will take between one and three years to build. They will make the most of the national hydrography in order to store and supply water. The reservoirs will have a capacity to store up to 989.9 million cubic meters of water. The existing dams store 2.405 billion m3 that are used during dry spells that last between four and six months each year.
INDRHI director Frank Rodriguez told Diario Libre that the Amina dam in San Jose de las Matas was the top priority. "This is a multi-use dam; it is the solution for potable water for Santiago, it will supply energy, and control flooding." This hydroelectric dam is valued at US$220 million. Farmers and residents of Amina have been calling for the construction of the dam to help them irrigate their fields.
Besides the Amina, the INDRHI places a lot of value on dams in Chavon in La Romana, Mijo and Monte Mayor in San Juan de la Maguana, Boba in Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Alto Yuna in Monsignor Nouel, La Gina in Peravia as well as Yasica and Conao in Puerto Plata. And also on the Guayubin River in Montecristi, Los Limones in Hermanas Mirabal and Joca in Elias Pina.
Although dam construction is a source of jobs, it also requires heavy investment, as their remote location means that access roads need to be built, as well as medical centers and a camp for the workers, and power lines installed, among other details. "This makes the projects more expensive, because you need this infrastructure," said engineer Victor Ventura.
Ventura, who is the administrator of the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGE-Hid), said that the eastern and northern regions have rivers that can be used to generate electricity. "Tourism in this region (east) has been developed based on well water... wherever there is tourism there is a great demand for food and we have to take products from other areas to the east," he says.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
The investment in these 12 systems is estimated to be US$947.5 million and each dam will take between one and three years to build. They will make the most of the national hydrography in order to store and supply water. The reservoirs will have a capacity to store up to 989.9 million cubic meters of water. The existing dams store 2.405 billion m3 that are used during dry spells that last between four and six months each year.
INDRHI director Frank Rodriguez told Diario Libre that the Amina dam in San Jose de las Matas was the top priority. "This is a multi-use dam; it is the solution for potable water for Santiago, it will supply energy, and control flooding." This hydroelectric dam is valued at US$220 million. Farmers and residents of Amina have been calling for the construction of the dam to help them irrigate their fields.
Besides the Amina, the INDRHI places a lot of value on dams in Chavon in La Romana, Mijo and Monte Mayor in San Juan de la Maguana, Boba in Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Alto Yuna in Monsignor Nouel, La Gina in Peravia as well as Yasica and Conao in Puerto Plata. And also on the Guayubin River in Montecristi, Los Limones in Hermanas Mirabal and Joca in Elias Pina.
Although dam construction is a source of jobs, it also requires heavy investment, as their remote location means that access roads need to be built, as well as medical centers and a camp for the workers, and power lines installed, among other details. "This makes the projects more expensive, because you need this infrastructure," said engineer Victor Ventura.
Ventura, who is the administrator of the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGE-Hid), said that the eastern and northern regions have rivers that can be used to generate electricity. "Tourism in this region (east) has been developed based on well water... wherever there is tourism there is a great demand for food and we have to take products from other areas to the east," he says.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)