Dominican Republic opens new phase for up to 600 MW/1.2 GWh of storage

The Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica Dominicana (ETED) has opened an expression of interest for the development of a portfolio of battery energy storage systems for the Dominican Republic’s interconnected national electricity system. The initiative envisages a reference capacity of up to 600 MW/1,200 MWh under modular and scalable configurations.

The call, published Sept. 4, is aimed at participants in the Wholesale Electricity Market interested in developing storage systems in the Dominican Republic.

ETED said in May that it was preparing the technical, financial, and legal guidelines needed to facilitate private investment in these assets and preparing a competitive phase with specialized technical assistance.

The process dates back to March, when ETED issued an initial call for interest to the private sector. In July, the company’s executive vice president, Alfonso Rodríguez Tejada, said the institution had already received offers from interested parties and that the goal was to contract 600 MW of storage with two hours of duration.

At the time, ETED expected to complete the contracting process by August at the latest. However, the publication of a new expression of interest on Sept. 4 shows that the process remains open.

The planned scheme relies on private investment. ETED has said the systems may be recognized as assets associated with transmission infrastructure under the country’s General Electricity Law 125-01. According to official information, the initiative has received a favorable opinion from the Electricity Superintendency and support from the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

The planned functions for the BESS include frequency regulation and black-start capability, which could help restore the system after a widespread outage. ETED also links storage to increased capacity to integrate renewable generation and reduce curtailment.

From pv magazine LatAm