In 2025, the Dominican Republic"s electricity system curtailed a total of 189,057 megawatt-hours (MWh) of non-conventional renewable energy, mainly from solar PV.
This resulted in an estimated economic loss of USD 30.25 million, equivalent to more than DOP 1.9 billion, according to a technical assessment by AABI Group.
The report explained that this was clean electricity that was available but could not be absorbed by the grid due to technical constraints.
This phenomenon, known as renewable curtailment, has become one of the main barriers to the full utilisation of renewables in the country.
One of the most critical events occurred on 25 December 2025, when solar curtailment exceeded 1,000 MW during daytime hours.
Similar situations were recorded on 18 January 2026, when surplus solar generation could not be injected into the system because thermal and hydropower plants were operating in parallel, limiting operational flexibility.
According to AABI Group, the current grid infrastructure is not designed to cope with the rapidly growing share of variable renewables.
"The system requires demand-side management tools, energy storage and more dynamic dispatch mechanisms if higher levels of renewable energy are to be integrated without waste," the firm noted.
Against this backdrop, the Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica Dominicana (ETED) has identified standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) as a strategic solution.
These systems would allow excess renewable electricity to be stored when generation exceeds demand and released during peak consumption periods.
"The deployment of BESS is essential to reduce curtailment and improve the overall efficiency of the Dominican electricity system," the analysis stated.
It also recommended prioritising installations in regions with the highest concentration of solar PV projects.
On the regulatory front, initial steps are being taken to enable battery storage, although large-scale deployment has yet to materialise.
Meanwhile, curtailment levels continued to rise throughout 2025. October, November and December were the most critical months, each recording more than 20,000 MWh of curtailed renewable generation.
The report warned that curtailment has become a structural issue since mid-2025, coinciding with the commissioning of new renewable capacity without a proportional expansion of grid flexibility or backup infrastructure.
Beyond technical challenges, the impact is also financial.
Each megawatt-hour not injected into the grid represents lost revenue for generators, undermining investment returns and distorting market signals.
The analysis cautioned that "the window of opportunity to address this issue is short: if corrective measures are not implemented in 2026, curtailment could double with the entry of new renewable projects.
It concluded that energy storage, combined with changes in operational planning and a more comprehensive regulatory framework, is critical to ensuring that the Dominican Republic"s energy transition remains efficient and attractive for continued investment in renewable energy.