Spanish
The Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, reported that on the night of this Tuesday, a new historical demand record was registered in the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI), reaching an instantaneous peak of 3,950 megawatts (MW).
He indicated that the average during that same period of 2024 was 3,650 MW and that in August 2020 it was 2,750, which shows the increasing pressure on the electrical system during the night hours and until after midnight.
The head of Energy and Mines attributed this increase to a heat wave, with a heat index of up to 32 °C, a highly humid environment that drives the intensive use of air conditioners, fans, and cooling systems in homes and businesses.
"The nighttime demand is consistently exceeding 3,900 MW, even after midnight, which indicates a sustained trend beyond traditional peak hours," he specified.
In addition, he recalled the joint announcement with President Luis Abinader regarding the incorporation of an additional 612 megawatts into the SENI in the next six months.
He indicated that this energy expansion will come from the new SIBA plants, with 68 megawatts, and Energas 4, with 130 MW between September and October, as well as Energia 2000, in the next four months, with 414 megawatts of electricity, with a view to guaranteeing greater stability of the system in the face of the sustained growth in demand.
Santos reaffirmed the Government's commitment to energy security, highlighting the importance of diversifying the electricity matrix and strengthening generation capacity to support economic development and citizen well-being.
