Caribbean Transmission Development (CTDC) plans to install an underwater power line between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico to provide electricity to the neighboring country.
According to the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día, the Electric Power Authority (PREPA) and LUMA Energy are exploring measures to stabilize the fragile energy system in the medium term. This includes considering the construction of an underwater interconnection cable to the Dominican Republic. If realized, it would grant Puerto Rico access to additional electricity generation resources. The cover story, titled “Submarine Electric Cable to Connect Puerto Rico with the Dominican Republic for Enhanced System Stability,” details this potential development.
CTDC has announced on its LinkedIn page that it is developing a high-voltage submarine interconnection cable named “Hostos” between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to link the two energy networks. The cable, operating at 320 kilowatts direct current, boasts a capacity to transport electricity of up to 500MW in any direction without interrupting the operations of either network. Additionally, it will enable Puerto Rico’s grid to restart in the event of a complete loss of power.
Recent hurricanes and insufficient investment in Puerto Rico’s electrical system have significantly weakened its energy generation and distribution capacity. Hurricanes Irma and María in 2017 caused losses exceeding a thousand million dollars, and subsequent storms such as Beryl, Dorian, Karen, Isaias, Laura, Teddy, Fiona, and Nicole have further strained the country’s energy infrastructure.
Despite investing over $9,000 million since Irma to rebuild the system, Puerto Rico’s main electricity generation systems remain between 50 and 70 years old, with the two most recent power plants built in the 1990s.
It’s worth noting that there’s already an underwater fiber optic cable connecting the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as part of the Caribbean Ring System of the Americas (ARCOS-1), primarily used for internet connectivity. Furthermore, a project is underway to construct a new submarine fiber optic cable linking Puerto Rico with the Dominican Republic and the United States Virgin Islands, aiming to enhance broadband infrastructure in the region.
