Cuban deputy PM opens two new solar parks

HOLGUIN, Cuba, Sep 9 (ACN) Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdes Menendez, Deputy Prime Minister, officially opened the photovoltaic parks in the Pilon area, in the municipality of Antilla, and in Providencia, near Frank Pais International Airport in the eastern city of Holguin.

The opening day was attended by Joel Queipo Ruiz, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and First Secretary in the province; Yunia Perez Hernandez, Deputy Governor of Holguin; as well as authorities from the territory and the Cuban Workers' Federation.

They especially recognized the work of the nearly 700 workers involved in both construction projects, which made their synchronization possible ahead of schedule.

After 128 days of work, with the Electric Company as the main investor, the Providencia facility was synchronized last July, providing clean and sustainable energy to the National Electricity System (SEN).

Both solar farms, with a generating capacity of 21.8 megawatts (MW) each, feature 42,588 solar panels mounted on driven piles and seven 3 MW inverters, capable of increasing the voltage to deliver quality energy to the national grid.

Rubert Reynaldo Gonzalez, CEO of the Electric Company, highlighted in his opening remarks that the total investment reached 800 million pesos, with the presence of national and international specialists who guaranteed high safety standards and quality certification for the project.

He noted that Providencia, connected to the system as the third park in the provincial plan, has contributed more than 6,000 MW to the territory and that, together, the sites in Holguin exceed 35,000 MW, representing approximately 8,000 tons of diesel, equivalent to $4.9 million at current market prices.

The province is working on another program, funded by a donation from the People's Republic of China, which plans to build 120 MW of electricity in the country, of which Holguin will contribute 40 MW distributed across six five-MW sites and one 10-MW site.