Spanish
President Luis Abinader attended this Thursday the inauguration of the Esperanza Renovable power plant, of the Empresa Generadora de Electricidad Haina (EGE Haina), a project that marks a milestone for the national energy sector by becoming the first large-scale initiative to carry out a hybrid injection of wind and solar energy to the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI).
Three parks make up the plant: the recently inaugurated Esperanza Solar 2, of 60 MW, and Esperanza Eólico, of 49.5 MW, along with Esperanza Solar 1, with 90 MW in operation since 2023. Together they add up to 200 MW of installed renewable capacity for an estimated annual production of 485,000 MWh, the result of an investment of 246.5 million dollars.
The two solar parks have 259,370 bifacial photovoltaic modules distributed over 246 hectares, while the wind farm operates with 11 Vestas V163 wind turbines of 4.5 MW each, reaching 225 meters in total height and constituting the tallest structures installed in the country.
During the event, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, highlighted that the inauguration of Esperanza Renovable represents an example of the energy model promoted by the government of President Luis Abinader, as it is the first large-scale hybrid project that integrates wind and solar energy in a single infrastructure and explained that this 200-megawatt plant constitutes a technological milestone for the country and demonstrates the joint work between the public and private sectors to strengthen the national energy system through innovation and technology.
Santos highlighted the project's contribution to the diversification of the energy matrix, indicating that currently more than 25% of the energy injected into the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI) comes from renewable sources. In that context, he affirmed that during President Abinader's administration, the country has gone from 555 megawatts of installed non-traditional renewable energies in August 2020 to more than 2,000 megawatts in operation through 38 projects, which has allowed the country's installed capacity to almost quadruple.
Also, the official announced that by the year 2028, the country plans to incorporate more than 1,000 additional megawatts through between 25 and 30 new renewable projects that are already under development. He added that President Luis Abinader has insisted on planning beyond the short term, so the Government is working to leave the country with sufficient thermoelectric and renewable capacity to guarantee energy security beyond 2028, "as modern governments should responsibly do."
The official also referred to the geographical diversification of energy generation and the strengthening of national competitiveness. He pointed out that the Government has promoted the expansion of the generation supply from traditionally concentrated areas towards the northwest and southwest of the country, accompanied by investments in transmission.
He also maintained that renewable energies have become the lowest cost for the system, which will allow reducing the average cost of energy purchase and continue strengthening the competitiveness of the Dominican Republic, while highlighting as a strategic element of the project its integration into the energy storage system, after winning the bids in this area.
He explained that this mechanism will allow energy to be stored for use during peak demand hours, especially between 7:00 and 11:00 at night. In that sense, he announced that by 2028 the country plans to incorporate at least 800 megawatts of storage to the electrical system, strengthening its stability, flexibility, and resilience, while reiterating the importance of continuing to expand the bidding for renewable projects with integrated storage.
Regarding the government's long-term vision, Santos stated that the energy sector plays a determining role in economic growth and recalled the goal set by President Luis Abinader through Meta 2036 to double the size of the Dominican economy. In his closing remarks, he expressed: "And today, from Esperanza Renovable, we launch and respond to that challenge with new generation, significant investment in transmission and distribution, and an increasingly diversified, resilient, and strengthened system for the benefit of the Dominican Republic."
Real and strategic diversification of the national electricity grid
For his part, the general manager of EGE Haina, José Rodríguez Silvestre, stated that from here, 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. "Esperanza Renovable constitutes a real and strategic diversification of the national electricity matrix."
Likewise, the executive highlighted that the Esperanza Solar 2 and Esperanza Eólico parks were awarded the first renewable energy auction with storage held in the history of the Dominican Republic. "Under this energy purchase-sale agreement, EGE Haina will add a 200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in the medium term. This industrial-scale battery will allow energy to be stored when it is produced in abundance and delivered when the system needs it most."
He added that the incorporation of the storage system will complete an energy ecosystem based on three complementary technologies: daytime solar generation, nighttime wind generation, and backup storage.
With the integration of these new parks, EGE Haina raises its installed renewable capacity to 576 MW, surpassing in advance the goal established in its corporate sustainability bond.
Throughout its history, the company has made capital investments exceeding $1.7 billion, of which nearly $800 million has been specifically allocated to the development of renewable power plants, which today represent 41.75% of its total installed capacity of 1,380 MW. The construction of the plant generated 1,400 direct jobs in the region and is projected to avoid the emission of 275,575 tons of CO₂ per year; contributing to national decarbonization and environmental sustainability goals.
The company has a portfolio of more than 600 MW of additional wind and solar projects in different stages of development throughout the country, with which it will continue to reaffirm its position as one of the main drivers of the energy transition in the Caribbean.
EGE Haina has deployed social and environmental initiatives in the province of Valverde. Since 2022, the company has made a social investment of over 34 million pesos, directly benefiting more than 10,000 people and indirectly benefiting more than 65,000.
Among the interventions, the following stand out: the provision of a complete solar energy system to the Esperanza Municipal Hospital and the UASD campus in Mao, the expansion and renovation of the Esperanza Fire Department, improvements in six schools and high schools in the area, the construction of sidewalks, curbs and bridges, and the establishment of an arboretum within the central facilities with more than 1,000 species of endemic trees and shrubs, including vulnerable or endangered species.
The activity was attended by the Minister of Labor, Eddy Olivares; the president of INICIA, Felipe Vicini; the partners of INICIA, Amelia Vicini and Juan B. Vicini; the governor of Valverde province, Marta de Jesús Collado Ozoria de López; the senator, Odalis Rafael Rodríguez; the president of the EGE Haina Council, Leonel Melo; the president of the Patrimonial Fund of Reformed Companies (Fonper), José Florentino; the vice president of the EGE Haina Council, Luis Mejía; the superintendent of Electricity, Andrés Astacio; the executive director of the National Energy Commission (CNE), Edward Veras; the executive vice president of the National Council for Climate Change, Max Puig; the vice president of Institutional Relations, Communications and Sustainability of INICIA, Anyarlene Vergés; the general administrator of the Dominican Electric Transmission Company (ETED), Martín Robles Morillo and the municipal mayor of Esperanza, Freddy Rodríguez.
