In Olancho Province, the largest province in Honduras, a Chinese-built Patuca III Hydropower Station stands among the green river valleys. In recent years, this major infrastructure project has benefited the local people's livelihood and boosted economic development. With the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hong Kong, it has condensed the expectations of the local people for the continuous deepening of cooperation between the two countries.

Looking forward to deepening cooperation between the two countries

This is an important project that Honduras desperately needs. Nelson Ortega, General Manager of Patuca III Hydropower Station Operations, said.

Olancho Province is located in the eastern part of Honduras, with rolling mountains, scattered population and weak infrastructure. According to Ortega, the local power supply mainly relied on the national power system in the past, with frequent power outages and unstable voltage. However, the completion and operation of the Patuca III Hydropower Station has changed the difficulty of local electricity consumption. It brings great convenience to production and life, and can also transmit power to the outside world, alleviating the power shortage in other parts of Honduras.

This is the Patuca III Hydroelectric Power Station in Honduras taken with a drone on April 28, 2023

This large-scale infrastructure project has attracted much attention in Honduras. It was constructed by China Power Construction Corporation. It started construction in September 2015 and was connected to the grid for power generation in December 2020. The total installed capacity is 104 megawatts, and the average annual power generation capacity reaches 336 million kwh, which can meet about 6% of the electricity demand in Honduras.

With China and Honduras establishing diplomatic ties in March this year, Ortega, like many Hondurans, is eagerly awaiting further cooperation between the two countries. It is expected that China will participate in the construction of more important projects in Honduras in the future, so as to drive the development of Honduras and inject impetus into economic growth. He said.

Learn Chinese equipment and technology

Walking up to the main body of the dam, Zhang Zhen, the manager of the Engineering Technology Department of the Patuca III Hydropower Station, greeted each other with the local staff, and introduced a number of advanced technical indicators of the hydropower station to the reporter. He said that from technology to equipment, China has shown full sincerity in the cooperation of this hydropower station. For example, China has introduced advanced dam-building technology, and strictly adhered to world-class standards from design to construction, thereby shortening the construction period; core equipment such as water turbines and generators are all advanced Chinese products, with high efficiency and strong stability.

Inside the Patuca III Hydropower Station, Zhang Zhen, Manager of the Engineering Technology Department of the Hydropower Station, is operating the equipment

From Costa Rica, Bolivia to Honduras, Zhang Zhen has worked in Central America for 8 years and has accumulated rich cooperation experience. It is hoped that the completion of this hydropower station will allow the Honduran people to better understand Chinese equipment and technology, and also deepen the friendship between the two peoples. He said.

Witness the friendship between the two peoples

According to reports, the Patuca III Hydropower Project has created more than 2,000 direct jobs for the local area. According to Carlos Acata, a local employee, this landmark project is a testimony of the friendship between the two peoples.

Inside the Patuca Three Hydropower Station, local employees are working

Acata compares the cooperation between the employees of China and Hong Kong to the operation of a precision watch. We each perform our duties, are equally important, and cooperate in an orderly manner. In his daily work, Chinese colleagues taught and shared a lot of professional knowledge with him, which also helped him grow rapidly. It is really touching that both sides are working hard for the same great goal. He said.

Acata has also participated in various public welfare activities organized by enterprises for many times, went to local schools and nursing homes, delivered food, clothes, school supplies, etc. to children and the elderly, and witnessed Chinese enterprises actively fulfilling their social responsibilities locally. Seeing their joyful eyes made me feel the value of my work even more. He said.Editor/Ma Xue