The Dominican Republic is accelerating its commitment to energy storage with an official goal of 2000 MW by 2036-2037 , new tenders under analysis, and greater requirements to integrate flexibility into the electrical system.
During FES Caribe, Betty Soto , Vice Minister of Innovation and Energy Transition, presented a roadmap where the focus is no longer just on adding renewables, but on building the necessary infrastructure to sustain their growth.
One of the key messages was that energy storage is no longer just an add-on; it is becoming a cornerstone of electricity planning. Resolution 005-2024 , already in effect, requires renewable energy parks between 20 and 200 MW to incorporate 20% battery storage , while the updated National Energy Plan projects a need for at least 2,000 MW to support future renewable energy integration.
“ We are currently in the process of fully implementing what we have planned in terms of storage ,” Soto stated.
In addition, competitive bidding processes are ongoing. Following the recent tender for 600 MW of renewable energy using BESS systems , the government is considering launching a new call for bids with similar characteristics, driven by a number of offers that doubled the required volume and prices considered competitive.
This result reinforced the official view that the technology is beginning to consolidate as a bankable asset within the Dominican market, in parallel with a solar deployment that could approach 2 GW in 2027 .
A forthcoming tender was also announced to incorporate batteries in Punta Catalina intended for frequency regulation, while the Dominican Electricity Transmission Company (ETED) is advancing in a manifestation of interest to develop transmission batteries, a scheme that in the sector is linked to potential projects for at least 1200 MWh .
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“ There is a need to accelerate the incorporation of BESS to provide the system with flexibility and make it more resilient ,” Soto stressed.
In that context, the panel's most novel announcement came later: the progress of the Sabaneta hydropumping project, an initiative that would contribute 400 MW of generation and batteries to the system and introduce long-term storage into the state strategy.
The initiative is part of a master plan promoted together with the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID) and opens a new stage for technologies that go beyond BESS systems.
“ The foreign consultant delivered the designs in March and the terms of reference for that hydropumping project are being prepared ,” the vice minister explained.
The project is gaining relevance because it expands the menu of solutions to respond to growing operational challenges, in a context where recent blackout events and discussions about system stability have raised the strategic importance of storage.
Beyond specific announcements, one of the strongest messages from the panel was that the next stage of transition will not be defined solely by new renewable MW, but by how much flexibility can be built around them.
At the close, when asked about how to accelerate private investment in the face of current bottlenecks, Soto focused on institutional coordination and maintaining permanent channels of dialogue between the public and private sectors to adjust regulations as the market evolves.