Cuba Launches Testing Of First 50 MW Energy Storage System

Cuba Launches Testing of First 50 MW Energy Storage System to Stabilize National Grid and Support Solar Integration

 

 

 

 

Cuba's national electric utility has announced the commencement of load testing for its first battery energy storage system, located at the Cotorro substation in Havana. This project marks the first operational unit among four such systems planned nationwide; with a single-unit capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) and a total planned capacity of 200 MW, the initiative aims to bolster the operational resilience of the national power system and mitigate the risk of widespread blackouts triggered by sudden frequency drops.

 

This energy storage system is designed to complement the growth of Cuba's photovoltaic (PV) power generation sector. In technical pilot regions-such as Holguín Province-the system will absorb surplus electricity during peak solar output hours and discharge stored energy during periods of peak system demand. Currently, Cuba's power system faces severe challenges stemming from fuel shortages, aging thermal power units, and limited generation capacity; in recent years, the power supply deficit has frequently exceeded 1,000 MW, necessitating the implementation of scheduled power outages across many parts of the country.

 

Experts within the power sector note that for every 1,000 MW of installed PV capacity, at least 100 MW of battery energy storage is required to ensure grid stability. The Cuban government is actively advancing a PV expansion plan with the objective of constructing over 90 solar power plants by 2028-totaling nearly 2,000 MW in installed capacity-thereby raising the share of renewable energy in the national mix to 24% by the end of 2030. The initial phase of this plan encompasses projects in provinces such as Havana and Holguín, with many of these power plants benefiting from China's support in terms of technical cooperation, as well as the supply of PV modules and inverters. The deployment of battery energy storage systems will facilitate this PV capacity expansion by enhancing solar utilization efficiency-through frequency regulation and the absorption of surplus power-and by reducing the reliance on diesel- or fuel oil-fired thermal power units.