The Punta Catalina Thermoelectric Power Plant stays like the plant that more events -involving failures- linked to the generation records within the National Interconnected Electric System (SENI) Dominican Republic in recent years.
Just last year recorded 23 eventsin 2021 there were 18, and in 2020 and 2019, when it was in the test phase, it marked 31 and 32, respectively, according to the annual reports of economic operations and transactions prepared by the Coordinating Body (OC) of the SENI.
the state Punta Catalina Thermoelectric Power Plant It was officially inaugurated in 2020. The construction of its two plants, which add up to 752 megawatts of energy using coal as a primary source, was carried out amid controversies, both due to its cost (2,346.9 million dollars) and the transparency of one of its successful bidders (Odebrecht).
In August of last year, when it was operating at full capacity, contributed 26% of the energy production of the entire SENI.
The events
twelve events or failures of those registered last year at this plant corresponded to Unit 1 and 11 to Unit 2.
On March 26, 2022, the unit 1 left of service for maintenance for a minor flawprioritizing it over a scheduled maintenance of Unit 2. Although it was announced for 45 days, spread until beginning of june.
Meanwhile, in the northern region of the country protests were registered in May due to constant blackouts. Catalina Point it contributed 356 MW of the 670 MW generation deficit registered at that time.
After the entry of Unit 1 in June, in the middle of that month Unit 2 left to maintenance for few days. Then the 1 went out again to continue the program of replacement and adjustments of minor parts and secondary parts, according to what its administration reported. At the beginning of July the 2 came out for several hours for a “internal shot”.
In November the two units they left the systemone for a lubrication problem and another because it went off.
Of the 8,760 hours of 2022, Catalina Point 2 It was the fourth thermal unit with the most hours of production in the year (8,559 hours) and Catalina Point 1 number 12 (6,795).
With 184 cases, 2022 was the year that registered the most relevant events in the generation and transmission systems that are members of SENI, since 2013, when 211 were reported, according to the Coordinating Body.
Of those 184 events that occurred last year, 77 corresponded to generation equipment, contrary to the 62 registered in 2021. The rest were transmission and transformers, among others.
