El Cajón Dam (Honduras)
The El Cajón Dam, officially known as Central Hidroeléctrica Francisco Morazán, is a hydroelectric power plant located in Western Honduras. The dam impounds the Comayagua River, which derives its large volume from two large tributaries, the Humuya River and the Sulaco River. El Cajón is a double arch dam, which uses parabolic geometry in horizontal and vertical axises to spread the weight of the impounded water to canyon walls which act as buttresses. Overall, the dam is the fifth highest dam in the Americas and the 15 th highest in the world, as well as the highest arch dam in the western hemisphere, and the sixth highest worldwide.
| El Cajón Dam | |
|---|---|
Location of El Cajón Dam in Honduras | |
| Official name | Central Hidroeléctrica Francisco Morazán |
| Location | Cortés, Honduras |
| Coordinates | 15°04′47″N 87°33′32″W |
| Construction began | 1980 |
| Opening date | 1985 |
| Construction cost | US$775 million |
| Operator(s) | ENEE |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Comayagua River |
| Height | 226 m (741 ft) |
| Length | 282 m (925 ft) |
| Width (base) | 48 m (157 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 5,700,000,000 m3 (2.0×1011 cu ft) |
| Surface area | 94 km2 (36 sq mi) |
| Power Station | |
| Commission date | 1986 |
| Turbines | 4 × 75 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 300 MW |
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