Minister Almonte announces updated regulations for solar panel market

Santo Domingo.- Minister of Energy and Mines, Antonio Almonte, has announced that the Superintendency of Electricity (SIE) will release updated regulations for the approval, interconnection, and operation of distributed energy generation facilities in the solar panel market before the end of this semester. Almonte emphasized the necessity for adapting the existing 2012 regulations to the current demands of the growing solar panel market, following consensus among various stakeholders.

Highlighting the surge in demand for solar panels, Almonte stressed the importance of readjusting regulations to ensure effective control and balance in the sector. The upcoming resolutions, developed through international consultations and advice, will address concerns related to over-remuneration and subsidy for customers with solar panels, which has impacted distributors facing losses due to users still connected to the traditional energy system.

Speaking on the El Zol de la Tarde program, Almonte underscored the need for clear and well-established regulations, dismissing speculative statements from companies in the competitive solar panel market. He clarified that the Dominican Government, led by President Luis Abinader, is actively promoting renewable energies at both mega and distributed generation scales, encompassing residential, small business, and industrial installations.

Almonte pointed out that the new regulation will introduce a net billing regime to replace the current net metering system. Under this framework, injected energy will be remunerated at a rate lower than withdrawal prices, and limits will be imposed on injected energy to prioritize the primary objective of distributed generation—self-consumption. This measure aims to discourage the emergence of net suppliers, microgenerators injecting energy into the grid under favorable conditions without intending self-consumption.