Between August and September this year, the Dominicans suffered cuts in the energy service, a problem that the Government reported was the product of a increase in demanddue to the rise in temperatures that affected the country and that three generation plants that were scheduled to enter the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI) were delayed.
He SENI should have received the injection 612 megawatts (MW), coming from three central: Energy 2000, which would provide 414 MW. This is followed by Energas IV, with 130, and the SIBA combined cycle, which will generate 68 MW, with which, according to the authorities, the problems will be resolved. blackouts for summer 2026.
However, the entry into operation of these central It will not solve the interruptions that affect the population. This is what he stated Miguel Rosarioconsultant and expert in electrical matters, who reported that not enough with new plants to continue the problems in distribution.
Rosario warned that the demand growth that the country experiences every year will make the new generation is exhausted in four years.
Demand expansion
Between 2023 and 2024, the dominican economy accelerated the increase in demand energy, with increases of 391.49 MW and 218.42 megawatts, respectively, according to data from the Coordinating Body of the SENI.
In the last eight years, the annual maximum demand of energy in the country grew by 1,281.26 megawattsevidencing an annual average of 160.15 MW. Between 2017 and last year, the need for electricity went from 2,218.83 MW to 3,500.11.
He argued that a good expansion planwhich guarantees a proper planningalthough he clarified that it is essential that this be carried out continuously, regardless of the Government in power and the depoliticization of the electricity sector.
“We are assuming that the system currently has sufficient generation, which is not true, since at least 15% (with respect to the total demand of the system) of generation capacity of cold reserve and around 5% operational to keep the system stable in the face of high penetration of renewable projects“he explained.
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Until last July, the average availability of the Dominican generation park was 3,927 MW, according to the most recent data from the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Almost a month later, the country reached a historic peak in demand, greater than 4,038 megawatts, which caused interruptions in service due to the system’s failure to supply all demand.
Permanent tenders
The director of the Energy Institute of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), José Luis Moreno San Juanassured that the improvement to blackouts given the demand peaks that the system registers each summer will depend on the generation tenders that the State does every year.
“Every year a quantity of thermal generationuntil at least 2035. What we have always advised is that tenders be held every year for energy that will be needed within five years. That is, the energy needed in 2030 should have been tendered now in 2025, and that of 2031 in 2026,” said Moreno San Juan.
He advanced that the maximum demand of this year is probably located among the 3,850 and 3,900 megawatts.
“He demand growth walk between 190 and 300 megawattswhich has been above the average, which was previously 5% and is now at 8%. In two consecutive years has increased more than projected,” declared the professor.
He ruled that, although the start of operation of the centralwhose entry into SENI has been postponed on several occasions, it was going to be able to solve the supply problem in 2025, for next year the entry of new thermal generationas in subsequent years.
