House speaker tours work at AES solar installation

The AES solar farm in Guayama will generate up to 80 megawatts of energy through solar panels and another 110 megawatts through the use of 4-hour storage batteries, while another other project, in Salinas, has the capacity to produce up to 120 megawatts from solar panels and another 175 megawatts from batteries.

By THE STAR STAFF

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez earlier this week inspected the construction work at AES Puerto Rico’s Marahú photovoltaic projects, which will add some 485 megawatts of energy in just a few months at an approximate cost of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour.

The overall project is being carried out with an investment of $1.2 billion, from federal funds and private capital. The substantial capital injection has generated some 900 direct and permanent jobs, in addition to promoting local businesses such as hardware stores and restaurants in Guayama and Salinas.

“This is one of the most important solar projects in the nation,” the House speaker said. “We’re talking about 200 megawatts coming online by the first half of 2026, and the remaining 285 megawatts a few months later. Those 485 megawatts provide stability to the entire electrical system, minimizing load shifting.”

During the visit, the legislative leader toured the solar farm located in the Jobos sector of Guayama, which will generate up to 80 megawatts of energy through solar panels and another 110 megawatts through the use of 4-hour storage batteries.

The other project, located in Salinas, has the capacity to produce up to 120 megawatts from solar panels and another 175 megawatts from batteries.

Some 743 industrial photovoltaic backup batteries are installed in Jobos, while the Salinas project has more than 757, for a combined total of 1,500 panels.

“We’re talking about a cost of this energy of no more than 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, which represents a substantial savings for consumers,” Méndez added. “Furthermore, the project features frequency backup batteries that establish parameters for greater protection against power fluctuations in the system. This is a complete, modern system, ready to provide a substantial percentage of the clean energy Puerto Rico needs in a short time.”

Accompanying the legislative leader during the tour, which lasted several hours, were Jesús Bolinaga, president of AES Puerto Rico; Víctor Parés Otero, chairman of the House Government Committee; and District 30 (Arroyo, Guayama, Salinas, and Santa Isabel) Rep. Fernando Sanabria.

Parés emphasized the technological advances of the systems integrated into the project.

“Solar panels are much more modern and efficient, capable of collecting greater energy in a larger quantity,” he said. “This is a very important project for Puerto Rico that, once online, will significantly increase renewable energy production on the island.”

Parés added that the “lifespan of these modern solar panels is 25 to 30 years, as is the case for the energy booster batteries and frequency batteries.”

“However, what makes this project unique is the system’s ability to maintain the same generation output with the addition of new components throughout its lifespan, ensuring Puerto Rico’s consistent production,” he said.

AES has also planted over 8,000 trees at the Salinas facility.