Haiti addresses power shortages with 130 MW of PV capacity

The president of the Caribbean island has announced several ground-mounted PV plants will be tendered, along with 60 MW of thermal power generation capacity. The projects are part of a plan to provide the nation with universal access to electricity during Jovenel Moïse’s five-year term in office.

The president is aiming to extend electricity access to the 60% of the population without it in just 19 months.

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Haitian president Jovenel Moïse has announced his government will tender for 190 MW of solar generation capacity – 130 MW of PV projects and 60 MW of thermal power facilities.

The tender for the $65 million PV project pipeline is currently being drawn up, Moïse said in a press conference at the weekend.

The largest PV project planned is a 50 MW plant in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Further, 20 MW projects are planned in Cap Haïtien and Gonaïves, 10 MW facilities will be installed at Port-de-Paix and Jacmel and a 5 MW array is intended for Jeremie. The balance of the PV generation capacity will be supplied by smaller facilities at unspecified sites in the regions of Grand’Anse and Nippes.

Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported the initiative – part of the president’s plan to offer universal access to electricity during his five-year term, which is due to expire in February 2022 – will be funded with a $150 million loan from the Taiwanese government.

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In 2017, the government of Haiti exempted solar modules and inverters from import duties and in December it began planning two large scale solar power and storage projects.

Haiti had only 3 MW of installed solar generation capacity at the end of last year, according to International Renewable Energy Agency figures. Its total power generation capacity stands at around 400 MW and is mostly operated by state-owned utility Électricité d'Haïti through three distinct, unreliable grids. The nation has an estimated 1 GW of power demand and only around 40% of Haitians have access to electricity.

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