485 megawatts of AES solar projects set to come online

By THE STAR STAFF

Two projects developed by Applied Energy Solutions (AES) Puerto Rico in the municipalities of Guayama and Salinas -- totaling some 200 megawatts (MW) of solar energy -- are poised to come online.

Additionally, two industrial backup battery systems -- known as battery energy storage systems -- will store 285 MW. Combined, the two platforms will add some 485 megawatts of energy at a cost of roughly 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.

The announcement was made Wednesday by Rep. Víctor Parés Otero, who chairs the Government Committee in the island House of Representatives.

“Acting on a directive from our speaker, Carlos ‘Johnny’ Méndez, to monitor energy projects currently under development, we held a conference call today with Jesús Bolinaga, president of AES Puerto Rico. He informed us that the two projects -- a 120-megawatt facility in Salinas and an 80-MW solar farm in the Jobos sector of Guayama -- are ready to come online soon,” Parés said. “These two solar panel systems will add 200 MW of generation capacity.”

“Once these systems are operational, combined with the battery units, we will have 485 megawatts of clean, affordable energy,” the lawmaker noted. “The 285 megawatts of stored energy -- providing up to four hours of usage during peak demand -- will help reduce the frequency and, above all, the duration of load-shedding events caused by generation shortfalls. Meanwhile, the 200 megawatts of solar panels will help reduce the load on conventional power plants during daylight hours.”

In September 2025, the House speaker, joined by Parés and District 30 (Arroyo, Guayama, Salinas, and Santa Isabel) Rep. Fernando Sanabria Colón, inspected the construction work on the photovoltaic project known as Marahú. The project was carried out with an investment of $1.2 billion, sourced from federal funds and private capital.

Some 743 industrial photovoltaic battery storage units were installed in the Jobos sector, while the Salinas project involved over 757 units, bringing the combined total to 1,500.