By Jessica Dominguez Delgado (El Toque)
HAVANA TIMES – On February 21, 2025, the first solar photovoltaic park was inaugurated, with a capacity of 21.8 MW. The project, located in Cotorro—on the outskirts of Havana—is part of the island’s government’s bet on solar energy to address the country’s dire electricity situation.
According to Ricardo Mengana, director of the Renewable Energy Sources Company, the Cotorro park began operating in test mode on the Monday prior to its inauguration. On February 28, 2025, another park opened in the municipality of Abreus, Cienfuegos, with a power output of 21.87 MW, as reported by local press.
Beyond the expectations for the opening of the solar parks and the possibility of easing the country’s energy crisis, how is the overall plan progressing, and what challenges does it face in becoming the short-term solution promised by the government?
What is the scope of the Cuban solar project?
The Cuban government’s plan is to install 55 solar parks similar to the one in Cotorro by 2025. The total capacity will be 1,200 MW. These are part of a broader project running until 2028, which aims to build 92 parks, with the goal of adding more than 2,000 MW to the National Electro-Energy System.
If the plan is fulfilled, the 2,000 MW—only available during daylight hours—would account for nearly two-thirds of the country’s current demand.
According to official information, the parks will use the same technology and have a capacity of 21.8 MW. Each will consist of about 42,588 solar panels and 1,638 support tables.
Another key element to consider is the battery storage systems. Only four installations (in Bayamo, Granma; the José Antonio Echeverría Technological University in Havana; and in Cueto, Holguín) will have 50 MW of backup. This represents a total of 200 MW in the first phase in 2025.
Official data on the total costs and financing mechanisms for the photovoltaic solar parks have not been released, except that they involve agreements with the Chinese government and are divided into two phases. However, in the regular session of the Parliament in December 2024, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero stated that one of the formulas the country has used is paying with natural resources, especially nickel.
Engineer Jorge Alejandro Rodriguez, director of the electricity company in Matanzas, told Cuban television that the park’s construction in Jovellanos has an import budget of $16 million, along with a national investment of 1 million pesos (equivalent to $2,898 USD at the current street rate) . This amount can vary depending on the needs of each project but gives a rough idea of the value of each park.
Where will the new solar parks be located?
The exact locations of all the parks have not been revealed, although it is known that they will be spread across the country. The newspaper Granma published the projected distribution of the 92 parks by province, but did not specify which will be the first 55 or the schedule. Based on the daily updates from the State’s Electric Company on Facebook regarding ongoing work, other details have been identified.
Here’s what we know about the plans by province:
Pinar del Río: 6 parks / 131 MW
Artemisa: 4 parks / 87 MW
Havana: 6 parks / 131 MW. Only information about the park in Cotorro has been published.
Mayabeque: 10 parks / 218 MW
Matanzas: 8 parks / 174 MW. One of them is Jovellanos II, in the same-named territory, scheduled to synchronize with the SEN on March 21, 2025.
Villa Clara: 9 parks / 196 MW. The Rojas park in Remedio and Bermejal in Santo Domingo are under construction.
Cienfuegos: 5 parks / 109 MW. The Alcalde Mayor park has opened, and the parks La Yuca in Abreus and Mal Tiempo in Cruces are under construction, set to open in March and April 2025, respectively.
Sancti Spíritus: 4 parks / 87 MW. One park will be located in Cabaiguán, and another in La Sierpe, where a large fire recently affected nearby areas.
Ciego de Ávila: 9 parks / 196 MW. Ciego-Norte is under construction, expected to open in March, followed by La Cuba and Carolina parks in summer.
Camagüey: 7 parks / 153 MW. One will be located in the Luaces area, Vertientes.
Las Tunas: 5 parks / 109 MW. The Nueva Línea park is under construction in Puerto Padre. The Herradura 1 project, based on wind energy, is also under development after years of delay.
Granma: 4 parks / 87 MW. La Sabana in Bayamo and the Juan Pérez II park in Niquero (Río Nuevo Council) are under construction.
Holguín: 8 parks / 174 MW. The Corúa 5 park is under construction in Mayarí.
Santiago de Cuba: 5 parks / 109 MW. The Las Guásimas park in Contramaestre is expected to start in May.
Guantánamo: 2 parks / 43 MW.
Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy reported that, in addition to the openings in February, another six parks should be added by March 2025. From then on, the government plans to synchronize an average of five parks each month.
What are the criticisms of this plan?
While the transition to renewable energy is viewed positively, some experts question the government’s ability to implement a project of this scale in such a short period. It has also been pointed out that reliance on foreign technology and financing—particularly from China—could create new forms of energy dependence. Other criticisms are related to the installation process and the maintenance of the facilities.
One person with experience in this type of work wrote to El Toque: “During my time as a mechanical designer in various companies, I suggested that to build these parks, a special design for the supports in the metal structures anchored to the ground should be made, allowing them to be repositioned. From the 30-degree angle oriented to the south that they should be in Cuba, to 0 degrees in horizontal position, to avoid the dynamic wind pressure during a strong hurricane, which could tear them from their bases and destroy them.”
They also mentioned proposing (parks with fewer panels) a solution that would allow them to be disconnected and quickly unhooked with special pins, so they could be stored nearby. “If a cyclone dismantles a park of this size because its supports are ripped off, the losses could be in the millions,” they emphasized.
Another user commented to El Toque: “The parks are being installed too close to the ground, and soon the grass will cover them, making it very difficult to clean due to the limited space to maneuver machetes and hoes. I don’t think they’ll be easy to disassemble in case of cyclones.”
Almost a year after De la O Levy announced the plan, several incidents have occurred during the construction and assembly phase of the solar parks, from delays in component arrivals to thefts at the installations.
In early February 2025, the Ministry of the Interior reported the theft of materials at the photovoltaic park under construction in Jovellanos. The official newspaper Invasor, from Ciego de Avila, also acknowledged that “a significant number of screws, washers, and nuts were stolen from the Ciego-Norte solar park during its assembly.”
Will the government fulfill its promises this time?
Cuba’s track record of unmet energy promises fosters skepticism.
If the government manages to implement its plan, the impact could be significant. The Cotorro park, for example, is expected to save more than 145,000 barrels of oil annually.
However, history encourages caution with grandiose promises. The success of this project depends not on inaugurations and announcements but on achieving homes that are lit up.
In February 2025, just before the inauguration of the Cotorro solar park, the country experienced blackouts that affected more than 56% of the island at once, forcing authorities to suspend classes and work activities.
The energy situation in Cuba is critical. The Cuban electrical system has suffered for years due to a lack of investment, aging infrastructure, and difficulties in obtaining fuel.
First published in Spanish by El Toque and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.
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