PBI-Honduras accompanies ASODEBICOQ opposed to the construction of the El Tablón dam in Quimistán
On May 7, PBI-Honduras posted: “This weekend, we accompanied the Association for the Defence of Common Property in Quimistán (ASODEBICOQ) and observed an open town meeting in which the Quimistán communities present asked that the bidding process for the El Tablón dam be suspended. In addition, the population asked to be included in an intersectoral roundtable to discuss the issue. PBI reiterates that it is important to listen to the voice of the communities affected by large infrastructure projects. We also recall that in the past we accompanied ASODEBICOQ in its opposition to the Santa Lucía hydroelectric project of the Cuyagual company, which led to a process of criminalization against several defenders of the affected communities.”
Town hall of 500 people rejects the dam
On May 4, 2025, Proceso Digital reported: “The municipality of Quimistán held an open lobbying on Sunday where its inhabitants rejected the project to build the El Tablón dam. This was announced by the president of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (Codeh), Hugo Maldonado, who was present at the open town hall.”
Tiempo adds: “Maldonado stressed that the inhabitants of Quimistan expressed their rejection of the project on two occasions, in previous town halls, and reaffirmed their position by pointing out that, since 2018, the municipality has declared itself against both mining and dams.”
Photo of town hall by Proceso Digital.
Chamber of Commerce supports the dam
Another article in Proceso Digital notes: “The president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Cortés (CCIC), Karin Qubain, expressed her concern on Monday about the opposition that arose in a recent town hall against the construction of the El Tablón reservoir, a megaproject aimed at mitigating floods in the Sula Valley.”
Lombardi participates in socialization processes
On May 5, 2025, La Tribuna reported: “The Secretary of Energy, Erick Tejada … indicated that the Lombardy company, winner of the tender to update the feasibility studies of the project, has participated in these socialization processes.”
This most likely refers to the Lombardi Group that is headquartered in Bellinzona-Giubiasco, Switzerland.
In July 2024, Tiempo had also reported: “[Tejada] said that the feasibility studies are still being carried out by the prestigious consulting firm Lombardi, winner of the international public tender held.” The article also notes the “supervision of the contract is carried out by the META-ASP consortium.”
The composition of this consortium is not clear, but it is likely that META-ASP refers at least in part to the Honduran company Aguas de San Pedro (ASP).
Contract to be awarded in September, construction in October
On May 6, 2025, Proceso Digital reported: “The head of the National Electric Power Company (ENEE), Erick Tejada, reaffirmed that in October the construction of the El Tablón dam will begin, a project for which there is a budget of 300 million dollars.”
Tejada says: “We have already launched the bidding process.”
The article further explains: “The interim manager of the National Electric Power Company (ENEE), Erick Tejada, reported on March 28 that the bidding process officially began and will culminate on June 26 with the receipt of bids. Subsequently, the technical and economic evaluation of the proposals will be carried out, with a view to awarding and signing the contract in September.”
The construction period is expected to be 3-5 years.
Photo: A drawing of what the dam could look like.
CABEI approves US$300 million for the dam
In November 2024, CABEI noted: “For the development of this initiative, non-reimbursable resources were provided by CABEI’s Climate Change Project Preparation Fund (FCC), with the support of the European Union and Germany (KfW).”
Proceso Digital also notes: “The president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Cortés (CCIC), Karin Qubain … indicated that [beyond the support of CABEI] the European Union has also shown interest in supporting the payment of the social debt with the owners of the land that will be impacted.”
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) has also explained that, as part of its commitment to “the mitigation and adaptation to climate change” and “alignment with the Paris Agreement [concluded at the UN COP21 climate conference in 2015]”, it “created the Climate Change Investment Project Preparation Fund (FCC).”
CABEI further notes: “This innovative fund finances technical assistance for the preparation of projects that improve mitigation and adaptation to climate change and the management of natural disasters in the region and has contributions from various sources, including CABEI’s own resources and international cooperators such as KFW [the Frankfurt-based Credit Institute for Reconstruction], the European Union, and Spanish Cooperation to support initiatives requested by governments, national authorities and private entities that align with the national priorities of each country.”
Original contract with Canadian company
In June 2022, Canal 8 reported: “The construction of the ‘El Tablón’ hydroelectric plant has been a postponed project since 1974… It was not until 2007 [that] a consulting contract was approved and signed with the Executive Commission for the Integral Development of the Sula Valley (CEVS) and the Canadian consulting firm SNC-Lavalin International Inc., to review and update the feasibility study, detailed design of the tender and tender documents for the construction of the dam. Actions that unfortunately, according to the manager of the state-owned electricity company could not be completed as a result of the coup d’etat that occurred in June 2009 despite the payment of one million dollars made at that time by the central government to the Canadian consulting firm.”
Accompaniment
The Association for the Defence of Common Property in Quimistán (ASODEBICOQ) works to defend the rights to land, territory and the environment in the face of extractive projects in the department of Santa Bárbara.
The organization was founded in 2017, after 27 communities in the municipality of Quimistán mobilized in 2013, to begin fighting for their rights in the face of the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the region.
Peace Brigades International has been accompanying ASODEBICOQ since May 2018.
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