The president highlights the investments being made in the area to boost tourism
In Manzanillo, Montecristi province, in the Northwest of the Dominican Republic, President Luis Abinader inaugurated yesterday, Friday, the Manzanillo Power Land, one of the most important energy infrastructures developed in the country in recent decades, which adds 414 net megawatts (MW) to the National Interconnected Electric System (SENI).
The project revitalizes the northwest region with jobs, investment and logistical development, in addition to contributing to the country's greater diversification of its energy matrix and generation capacity.
At the event, the president described it as a project of faith, hope, development, and economic feasibility, stating that this area will become the country's main electricity generation area, which will not only help close the energy gap and guarantee supply in the coming years, but will also bring stability to the system, since previously 85% of generation was concentrated in the south.
“With this project, along with Manzanillo 1 and 2, a more balanced distribution will be achieved. Furthermore, we have contracted approximately 130 megawatts of battery storage, which will be available starting this summer, along with new tenders, increasing the reliability of the electrical system in the short and medium term. Today marks the beginning of the consolidation of the electricity generation system in the Dominican Republic, which will help avoid future problems with projects currently underway,” he stated.
He argued that it is not just about electricity generation, but a set of initiatives: the construction of a port with the Inter-American Development Bank, which will be ready by the middle of next year; the development of a multimodal port that will also receive cruise ships ; and the construction of an airport approved by decree, which will be integrated with Santiago's to boost tourism.
“Montecristi is being reborn. This province, where the nation begins, will experience unprecedented development. In addition to its agricultural growth, based on products like rice, bananas, and salt, a new industrial zone is now being established. Free trade zones focused on technology exports will also be created here, generating quality jobs,” President Abinader noted.
He also said that, despite international challenges, which are always temporary, "we can view the present and future of Montecristi and the Dominican Republic with optimism. This optimism, along with the persistence and determination of our business leaders, will allow the country to continue moving forward and overcoming any difficulties."
President Luis Abinader presided over the inauguration. (External source).
Manzanillo Power Land
Manzanillo Power Land operates under natural gas combined cycle, integrating a gas turbine, a heat recovery unit and a steam turbine, with unprecedented levels of efficiency in the country, aligning with the highest international standards in efficient and sustainable generation.
This project is integrated with a comprehensive energy ecosystem that includes the 345 kV Pepillo Salcedo – Guayubín – El Naranjo Transmission Line, the 345 kV substation in Pepillo Salcedo, the interconnection gas pipeline with Manzanillo Bay, the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), as well as specialized maritime facilities for receiving equipment and fuels necessary for construction and outfitting.
During its development phase, the plant generated between 1,500 and 5,700 direct jobs, boosting the local economy and contributing to the strengthening of human capital in the Northwest region.
The total investment associated with this project and its complementary infrastructure amounts to approximately USD 950 million, reflecting the private sector's confidence in the energy and logistics potential of the Dominican Republic.
With the acquisition of the Certificate of Compliance with the Connection Code of the National Interconnected Electric System (SENI), the plant is fully enabled for its entry into commercial operation, contributing immediately to the stability, reliability and diversification of the national energy matrix.
This milestone consolidates a development vision based on the effective articulation between the public and private sectors, where strategic planning, high-level technical execution and institutional commitment have made it possible to transform a territory with high potential into a regional energy hub.
The inauguration of Manzanillo Power Land transcends the addition of new generation capacity to the national electrical grid; it represents the opening of a new chapter for Montecristi and the entire Northwest region. It is the realization of a shared vision that transforms potential into opportunity, infrastructure into well-being, and territory into progress. Today, where there were once only expectations, realities are taking shape: employment, economic dynamism, and a future with greater possibilities for the communities. This project is, in essence, a declaration of confidence in the people, the region, and the country.
The blessing of the event was given by the apostolic nuncio in the Dominican Republic, Piergiorgio Bertoldi.
The event was attended by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón; the Minister of Housing and Buildings, Víctor “Ito” Bisonó; the Director General of Customs, Nelson Arroyo; the Provincial Governor, Leissa Cruz; the Executive Director of the Dominican Port Authority, Jean Luis Rodríguez; the Superintendent of Electricity, Andrés Astacio; the Executive Director of the National Energy Commission, Edward Veras; the General Administrator of the Dominican Electricity Transmission Company (ETED), Alfonso Rodríguez Tejada; the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery (Refidomsa), Samuel Pereyra; and the Senior Executive Vice President of Business at Banreservas, Ysidro García.
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