peligre - Haiti Observer Blog

Located just off the Centre Department of the Artibonite River in Haiti is the Péligre Dam which is a hydroelectric dam. This dam is a feature of both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It is the largest dam on the island of Hispaniola and was created in the 1930's as part of the valley Agriculture Project to control flooding and provide energy assistance in the Artibonite River Valley. In 1956 the dam was completed creating the Lake Péligre with the hydroelectric portion being completed in 1971. The plant is capable of providing the country with most of its electricity.

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The Péligre Hydroelectric Plant, located in Central Department, supplies Haiti with much of the island's electricity needs. But in the past few decades it has deteriorated, neglected by Électricité d'Haiti, the national provider of energy.

Haitian President Martelly has made improving the energy infrastructure a primary focus of his 5 "E" initiative. Germany has responded to Martelly's call for a reliable energy system, by funding the restoration of the PHP. The goal is to provide Haiti with electricity service 24 hours a day in the not- too-distant future.

In an agreement with Germany, Minister of Economy and Finance, Wilson Laleau, along with German Ambassador, Klaus Shick, served as signatories to a memorandum of understanding for the sum of ten million Euros to restore the PHP. The PHP serves the Péligre Hydroelectric Dam (PHD), situated on the Artibonite River. It was constructed under the Artibonite Valley Agricultural Project during the 1930s, producing the Lake Péligre reservoir. Problems with the PHD have developed over past decades with large amounts of silt deposits increasing at an alarming rate. As a result, the reservoir's energy-producing capacity has declined. The cause of the alluvial buildup is deforestation of the island. Only 4%-6% of tree cover remains, when once the entire country was blanketed with forests.

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