The Dominican Electricity Transmission Company (ETED) called on generating companies participating in the Wholesale Electricity Market (MEM) to register battery storage projects for possible incorporation into the National Interconnected Electricity System (SENI).
The initiative aims to create a portfolio of battery energy storage systems , known as BESS. Market participants in the MEM (Wholesale Electricity Market) who hold concessions for the operation of electricity generation facilities will be eligible to participate.
Expressions of interest may be submitted between March 24 and May 29, 2026. During this period, eligible companies will have the opportunity to register initiatives with ETED aimed at improving the operational performance of the Dominican network.
The process opens a window for identifying large-scale storage projects, although it does not yet constitute a tender nor does it imply an allocation of capacity . The information received will allow for gauging market interest and prioritizing a portfolio of developments before moving toward concrete implementation mechanisms.
The portfolio aims to improve the safety, quality, and operational flexibility of the National Interconnected System (SENI) , according to the official announcement. These objectives are gaining importance given the expansion of variable renewable energy plants and the need to manage changes in their production more precisely.
This measure places ETED in a central role in the deployment of this technology. As the entity responsible for electricity transmission, the company will be able to link private proposals with operational needs, strategic nodes, and existing constraints on the national grid .
BESS systems allow electricity to be stored during periods of high availability and injected into the grid when generation falls or demand increases. They also offer a rapid response to frequency variations, contingencies, and imbalances between production and consumption.
In addition to shifting energy between different time slots, these facilities can provide frequency regulation, voltage control, operating reserves and support in the event of network disturbances , according to their technical configuration and dispatch strategy.
The discharge duration will be another determining factor in establishing the value of each proposal. A project is not defined solely by its power in MW, but also by its capacity in MWh and by the time during which it can deliver electricity to the grid.
The registry will provide insights into the scale, maturity, location, and technical characteristics of available developments . It will also reveal whether the focus is on stand-alone installations or on solutions associated with existing solar and wind power plants.
Independent projects can be located at critical points to meet specific requirements of the National Interconnected System (SENI). In contrast, batteries linked to renewable energy plants can leverage existing interconnection infrastructure and optimize the delivery profile of those assets.
The call for proposals is limited to agents with concessions to operate generation facilities. This requirement directs the process toward participants who already have a formal connection to the electricity market and who may have projects in operation, under construction, or at different stages of development.
For generators, the call represents an opportunity to proactively present solutions capable of providing flexibility. For ETED, it offers the chance to develop a technical and commercial overview of available energy storage in the Dominican Republic .
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The information gathered can also be used to analyze the relationship between private proposals and the transmission infrastructure expansion needs. The location of each BESS will be crucial, since a battery installed at a congested node can provide different services than one located next to a renewable energy plant.
The background of the EDES-LPI-01-2025 tender
The ETED call comes after the EDES-LPI-01-2025 tender, a process that modified the new renewable generation contracting scheme by establishing storage as a mandatory condition for participating projects.
The tender received bids for 1655 MWp against a demand of 600 MW , a difference that reflected the availability of initiatives and the interest of developers in entering the Dominican electricity market.
Finally, the Electricity Distribution Companies awarded 325.69 MW of new renewable capacity . The selected projects must incorporate BESS systems equivalent to 50% of the contracted power .
The remaining capacity went unallocated because the corresponding bids exceeded the reference price. After the allocation, the distributors moved forward with signing the power purchase agreements, consolidating the addition of a new portfolio of solar power plants with batteries.
The process positioned the Dominican Republic as one of the first Latin American markets to incorporate storage as a mandatory requirement within a competitive contracting of renewable energy .
ETED's call for proposals presents a different approach. While EDES-LPI-01-2025 was geared towards contracting energy from new projects, the current call seeks to identify solutions capable of responding to systemic needs for security, quality, and operational flexibility .
Both lines are complementary. The BESS projects associated with power purchase agreements will improve the delivery profile of the awarded power plants, while the portfolio promoted by ETED may include projects specifically designed to provide services to the electricity system.
Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic is also preparing a new tender to contract the 300 MW that remained unawarded in the previous process. In addition, a specific mechanism is being planned to incorporate 200 MW of storage capacity into currently operational solar parks .
This latest initiative would allow for the addition of firm capacity and flexibility through existing connected assets, reducing reliance solely on new developments. Installing batteries at existing plants would also facilitate the use of previously constructed land, substations, and interconnection points.
Taken together, these processes expand the role of energy storage within Dominican electricity planning. Batteries are beginning to consolidate as strategic infrastructure for the National Interconnected System (SENI), beyond their use as a complement to new solar power plants.
The final scope of the portfolio will depend on the quantity and quality of the applications received, their location, and the regulatory and commercial mechanisms that will be defined later. It will also be necessary to establish how the different services that these facilities may provide will be remunerated.
Until May 29, 2026 , eligible agents will have the opportunity to register their initiatives with ETED. The information obtained will be used to gauge private sector interest and move towards a coordinated portfolio of large-scale energy storage for the Dominican Republic's electricity system.