The “General Ángel del Castillo Agramonte” photovoltaic solar park was recently inaugurated in the municipality of Majagua, in the Cuban province of Ciego de Ávila. This facility is the first of its kind in the country to integrate a battery storage system, combining a power output of five megawatts (MW) with an energy storage capacity of one MW.
This project represents the first step in the second phase of a 120 MW donation from the People’s Republic of China, which envisions the commissioning of a total of 85 MW with storage systems.
Unlike the seven previous solar parks donated by the Asian country, this new plant allows for voltage stabilization and frequency regulation of the National Electric System (SEN), particularly benefiting the municipality. It also offers the possibility of creating an energy island to maintain local supply in the event of national grid outages.
With the addition of this plant, Ciego de Ávila now has nine solar parks with a combined installed capacity exceeding 100 MW. According to officials from the regional electric company, this figure is close to the 120 MW demanded by the province during peak consumption periods, demonstrating progress toward energy sovereignty.
Since its synchronization with the National Electric System (SEN) on March 25, the facility has achieved peak generation of up to six MW when operating in conjunction with its batteries.
The construction of the project was led by the Union of Military Construction (UCM) and involved the collaboration of Chinese specialists from Shanghai Electric, along with technicians from the Cuban Electric Union (UNE).
Despite logistical delays caused by instability in the fuel supply for transporting materials, the plant met its generation targets before the end of the first quarter of the year.
The inauguration ceremony was led by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, along with the province’s top officials. During the ceremony, the efforts of the participating workers and organizations were recognized, highlighting the positive impact this technology will have on services such as water pumping in the Majagua region.
The commissioning of the photovoltaic park comes amid an energy crisis caused by external restrictions on access to fuel. Given the measures imposed by the United States that hinder oil supplies, the transition to renewable energy sources has become a priority for national stability.
IMAGE CREDIT: Unlike the seven previous parks donated by the Asian country, this new plant stabilizes the voltage and regulates the frequency of the National Electric System (SEN), particularly benefiting the municipality. Photo: @OSDE_UNE
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
