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Technology group Wärtsilä will deliver and install a 37 MW power plant for Dominican Republic utility Consorcio Energético de Punta Cana (CEPM). The plant will be supplied on a full engineering, procurement and construction contract. This project is an extension to an existing power plant supplied by Wärtsilä in 2018. Certain common existing equipment will be used for the new installation. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in December 2023.

The new plant is part of CEPM’s ‘Net Zero’ decarbonisation initiative, unveiled by the company at the COP26 global climate summit. It calls for the establishment of 600 MW in new renewable power plants based on solar and wind energy and complemented with energy storage and a flexible thermal plant to provide the crucial grid balancing capabilities. Wärtsilä was selected to supply the thermal plant following meticulous modelling of the grid, which confirmed the feasibility of the solution.

The Wärtsilä plant, with its fast starting and stopping capability, will provide the flexibility needed to balance the fluctuations in supply that are inevitable with solar and wind power. Furthermore, the high efficiency is retained, even in the varying high temperature conditions that can be expected in the Caribbean.

The new plant will operate with four Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engines capable of operating on either LNG or conventional fuel oil. The project is being carried out on a fast-track schedule, and the plant is expected to commence commercial operations before the end of March 2025.

“The flexibility that our technology delivers was a key requirement for this contract. This applies to both the ability to balance the grid, and to the fuels used by the engines. As the energy sector continues its transformation towards a decarbonised future, this flexibility is a major enabler,” commented Oscar Jimenez, Energy Business Director, Region Central at Wärtsilä Energy.

Wärtsilä has a strong presence in the Dominican Republic with an existing installed base of 1.3 GW.

Media contacts for more information on this release:

Roberto Velázquez
Marketing & Communications Manager Americas
Wärtsilä Energy
Mob: +52 1 56 2567 0920
roberto.velazquez@wartsila.com

Image caption: Wärtsilä power plant to provide needed flexibility as Dominican Republic increasingly turns to renewables © Wärtsilä Corporation

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Wärtsilä Energy in brief 
Wärtsilä Energy leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our partners to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system modelling expertise. These cover decarbonisation services, future-fuel enabled balancing power plants, hybrid solutions, energy storage and optimisation technology, including the GEMS Digital Energy Platform. Wärtsilä Energy’s lifecycle services are designed to increase efficiency, promote reliability and guarantee operational performance. Our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity and 125 energy storage systems delivered to 180 countries around the world. 
www.wartsila.com/energy

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,800 professionals in more than 280 locations in 79 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2023, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.0 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com

CEPM in brief
The Punta Cana-Macao Energy Consortium (CEPM) is a leader in the generation, transmission, distribution, and commercialization of electric energy in the Dominican Republic. With over 32 years of experience, it has 335 MW of installed capacity and more than 1,600 kilometers of networks, serving more than 65% of the national hotel supply. CEPM stands out for its technological innovation and commitment to sustainability, positioning itself as a strategic partner in the region's tourism development.