Project Hostos

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Caribbean Transmission Development Company is developing a subsea cable between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to interconnect the two energy grids.

The Energy Crisis Continues:

There is no energy future for Puerto Rico without interconnection

  • Puerto Rico has an untenable energy crisis that fuels migration, discourages investment, and cripples the economy.
  • Recent hurricanes have caused many deaths attributed to the failure of the electrical system.
  • Although over $9 billion has been allocated to rebuild the system, this only addresses transmission and distribution grids, not resiliency. When another hurricane occurs, Puerto Rico may lose power again.
  • PR’s generation assets are on average 50 to 70 years old. The two most recent, most efficient, and least expensive power plants in the country were installed in the 1990s and are slated to be decommissioned in the next 5 years, leaving an already existing shortage in worse condition.
  • Immediate action is needed to mobilize the multiple projects required to build a resilient energy system for the island that can power an economic recovery.

White Paper:The Trilemma of Energy Transition on Islands:

By: Jose A Martinez, CEO of ADEX and Innovation Expert of the EU for the Energy Sector.

This independent article reports on the challenges island nations are facing in accessing cheap, renewable energy.

A lack of enough interconnection with the mainland to exchange electricity, the deficit of critical mass for some initiatives, or a typically less meshed power grid, make energy systems on islands less robust and economical than their peers on the mainland.
Energy costs are typically higher on islands due to the additional costs associated with importing fuels and building and maintaining the energy infrastructure.
The lack of interconnection with mainland grids and the limited capacity of transmission and distribution networks can make it difficult to stabilize the grid and maintain a reliable power supply.
There is a great opportunity to solve the Energy Trilemma on islands through the interconnection of power grids, not only between islands but even with the mainland...
The average cost of energy in the Caribbean is almost five times that of the mainland U.S.
PDFRead the full report
Learn more about the World Energy Trilemma Index visiting here.

Interconnection is the Solution:

Fundamental to a resilient future and key to the transition to renewable energy sources.

Unlike the Caribbean, many European countries’ energy grids are interconnected across themselves and Africa via submarine cables.

Unlike the Caribbean, many European countries’ energy grids are interconnected across themselves and Africa via submarine cables.

164 cables – Amount of cables that transport energy into the USA from Canada or Mexico, two of them are subsea cables.

164 cables – Amount of cables that transport energy into the USA from Canada or Mexico, two of them are subsea cables.

Interconnection allows for better system stability, accelerates transition to modern technologies, reduces energy waste, and opens trade opportunities

Interconnection allows for better system stability, accelerates transition to modern technologies, reduces energy waste, and opens trade opportunities

Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are ideal for interconnection.

Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are ideal for interconnection.

Interconnection will insert Puerto Rico in a worldwide trend that will provide the island access to a new energy supply market and to diverse generation options, including renewable energy.

The fastest route to PR100

The Government of Puerto Rico, the DOE and FEMA have validated their commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2030. The most recent progress report issued by PR100 has confirmed the feasibility of the goal and identified two significant challenges:

1. For a stable 100% renewable system, Puerto Rico can't rely only on individual rooftops. It needs utility-size renewable generation. The report showcases the challenge of Puerto Rico's limited availability of land for big wind or solar farms. By interconnecting with the Dominican Republic, Project Hostos opens access to potential new energy generation resources.

Land available for utility-scale solar PV development with agricultural lands excluded, with detailed insets. Graphics by NREL.
Land available for utility-scale solar PV development with agricultural lands excluded, with detailed insets. Graphics by NREL.
Land available for utility-scale, land-based wind development with agricultural lands excluded, with detailed insets. Graphics by NREL.
Land available for utility-scale, land-based wind development with agricultural lands excluded, with detailed insets. Graphics by NREL.

2. Today, the local electrical grid is too fragile and needs to add generation capacity in the near term. The report warns against investing in new non-renewable generation assets that will become obsolete in 2030. Project Hostos can add 500 Megawatts to the Puerto Rico system very quickly without PR having to continue to expand its investments in non-renewable energy sources.

Connecting Energy Grids

Execution plan for interconnection.

Caribbean Transmission Development Company is developing an underwater high-voltage DC cable between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic that will interconnect each island's electrical grid. Before installing the submarine cable on the bottom of the sea bed, the subsea terrain is studied and evaluated to determine the best cable route.

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Important details:

  • • The cable will operate at 320KV Direct Current with a capacity to transport electricity of up to 500MW in either direction without interrupting operations of either grid. This represents about 20% of the energy capacity in Puerto Rico.
  • • Given a complete loss of grid power, the cable will permit a black start of the Puerto Rico grid.

Choosing the Right Path

Criteria for selecting the cable route

Project Hostos takes care to minimize any environmental impact that could be caused by submarine cable installation, it is important for us to choose the best route.
The process involves:

  • Minimizing the length of the path
  • Minimizing interference with fish management areas
  • Minimizing interference with protected areas/IBAs and benthic habitat
  • Avoiding deep canyons and landslide walls
  • Minimizing interference with farming
  • Minimizing interference with urban centers and tourist areas
  • Avoiding direct interference with restricted areas (military, airports, etc.)
  • Optimizing the use of existing infrastructure
  • Maximizing parallelism with existing infrastructures (roads, railways, power lines)
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Project Roadmap

Overview of tasks completed and our next steps.

Starting strong
  • Caribbean Transmission Development Company has secured the most advanced, sustainable, and innovative technology to become part of Puerto Rico’s energy crisis solution and finance it with private investment.
  • A study assessing the commercial, technical, and environmental feasibility of Project Hostos has been conducted and validated.
  • We established a relationship with the Department of Energy and have been assigned a DOE director as a liaison to assist us as we navigate the different federal agencies that intervene in the approval of our project.
  • Interfaced with the US Senate and House of Representative's Natural Resources and Energy Committees, as well as with local Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic stakeholders and authorities. We have received positive reactions from all the persons engaged.
Starting strong
Jacobs joins the team

We have partnered with Jacobs (www.jacobs.com) to conduct the environmental review process, develop GIS data sets and routing recommendations, conduct preliminary engineering design, and develop initial permit applications.

Jacobs is an international solutions firm serving the energy, environment, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, cities & places, health & life sciences, national security, and space markets.

Jacobs joins the team
Requesting a U.S. Presidential Permit

Caribbean Transmission has submitted a Presidential Permit Application for Project Hostos to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Deployment Office. The Notice of Application is available on the Federal Register here for public review. Comments may be submitted to the DOE as indicated in the Notice of Application by April 15, 2024 for comments.

Requesting a U.S. Presidential Permit

Eugenio María de Hostos:

The enduring dream that names our project.

Portrait by Francisco Oller
Portrait by Francisco Oller

Eugenio María de Hostos, born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico in 1839, was a visionary leader strongly committed to eradicate social, racial and gender inequalities. Hostos advocated his ideas in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and throughout the Americas, which granted him the posthumous title of "Citizen of the Americas".

For years he embraced the idea of an Antillean Confederation to strengthen their independence, freedom and sovereignty. He emphasized that Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic shared the same geographical structure, mountain system, climate, as well as the same agricultural, commercial and industrial zones. He believed that given these similarities and proximity, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (alongside other islands in the Antilles) should create an alliance crucial to sustain their respective Caribbean nations’ economy and social status. Hostos died in 1903 and, due to his contributions to the Latin American people, is the only foreigner buried in the Dominican Republic's National Pantheon, where all Dominican patriots are buried.

We are proud to name our project after him, in hopes to continue his legacy and to bless our endeavors with his nation-uniting strength.

Frequently asked questions