Esperanza, Valverde.– President Luis Abinader led this Thursday the inauguration of the Esperanza Renovable power plant, of EGE Haina, considered the first large-scale initiative to combine wind and solar energy to inject it into the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI).
The project is made up of the parks Esperanza Solar 1, Esperanza Solar 2 and Esperanza Eólico, which together provide 200 megawatts (MW) of installed renewable capacity and an estimated annual production of 485,000 MWh, with a total investment of 246.5 million dollars.
During the event, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, highlighted that the plant represents a technological milestone for the country and reflects the energy model promoted by the Government, based on innovation, sustainability, and public-private partnerships.
The official pointed out that more than 25% of the energy currently injected into the SENI comes from renewable sources and stated that, since August 2020, the installed capacity of non-traditional renewable energies increased from 555 megawatts to more than 2,000 megawatts in operation through 38 projects, almost quadrupling the national capacity.
He also reported that the country plans to incorporate more than 1,000 additional megawatts by the year 2028, through between 25 and 30 new renewable projects currently under development.
Santos also highlighted the importance of energy storage to strengthen the stability of the electrical system and announced that the Dominican Republic plans to integrate at least 800 megawatts of storage by 2028, which will allow the use of accumulated energy during peak demand hours.
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For his part, the general manager of EGE Haina, José Rodríguez Silvestre, stated that the plant marks a before and after in the national energy matrix.
“For the first time in the history of the Dominican Republic, a hybrid injection of wind and solar energy is carried out to the National Interconnected Electrical System,” he expressed.
He also explained that the Esperanza Solar 2 and Esperanza Eólico parks were awarded the first renewable energy auction with storage held in the country, which will allow the incorporation in the medium term of a 200 MWh battery system.
The company indicated that the construction of the project generated around 1,400 direct jobs and will avoid the emission of more than 275 thousand tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per year.
EGE Haina also highlighted the social investments made in Valverde province, where it has allocated more than 34 million pesos since 2022 in community, educational, environmental, and infrastructure projects.
In the activity, officials from the energy sector, business representatives, local authorities, and executives from EGE Haina and INICIA participated.
