[News] China's Cooperation With Cuba in Energy Sector Remains Strong And Steady

Mon Nov 17 15:28:42 EST 2025

orinocotribune.com 
<https://orinocotribune.com/chinas-cooperation-with-cuba-in-energy-sector-remains-strong-and-steady/> 

  China's Cooperation With Cuba in Energy Sector Remains Strong And Steady

jborinoco
November 17, 2025
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Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Déborah Rivas 
Saavedra speaks at the inauguration event of the seventh photovoltaic 
solar park resulting from China-Cuba cooperation. Photo: X/@PresidenciaCuba.

*The First Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the 
Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, attended the inauguration of the 
seventh photovoltaic solar park of the 120 MW project donated by the 
Chinese Party, Government, and people.*

Guanajay, Artemisa – “China’s cooperation with Cuba in the energy sector 
remains strong and steady, from ongoing projects, such as equipment and 
spare parts for distributed generation, the 5,000 photovoltaic systems 
for isolated homes, and the installation of other solar photovoltaic 
parks (PSFV) with a total capacity of 85 MW, to the next project to 
install another 200 MW and the new 5,000 photovoltaic systems for 
isolated homes.”

This was stated by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to 
the island, Hua Xin, during the inauguration in Guanajay, Artemisa, of 
the seventh 5 MW PSFV of the first stage of a donation from the Party, 
the Government, and the people of the sister country, which will add 120 
MW to the National Electric System (SEN).

The official launch of Mártires de Barbados II was led by the First 
Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee and President of the 
Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and it is now connected to the 
SEN, as are its 5 MW counterparts built in several provinces, with a 
combined generation capacity of 35 MW.

Following the completion of this phase, the second stage, already 
underway, is expected to be completed by next April and will include 13 
5 MW PSFV and two 10 MW PSFV, with a total power of 85 MW and batteries 
to store 20% of the generation produced.

“Each of these steps,” said the diplomat, “demonstrates China’s 
commitment to Cuba’s sustainable development. In the future,” he 
confirmed, “our country is willing to continue strengthening this 
cooperation, thus contributing to the construction of the China-Cuba 
community with a shared future.”

When describing the benefits of the seven new PSFV units, as the first 
stage of the donation, Hua Xin commented that they will save around 
18,000 tons of imported fuel annually.

“From the signing of the project exchange of notes, the arrival of the 
first batch of equipment, to the full connection to the grid today, the 
efficient collaboration between Chinese and Cuban companies has achieved 
impressive speed, marking a new stage in the collaboration between the 
two countries in the field of clean energy,” said the representative of 
the Asian giant.

“And the strategic significance of this project,” he added, “is 
profound. At the social level, it will provide the population with a 
clean, stable, and reliable electricity supply, thus improving their 
well-being. At the economic level, the savings in foreign currency will 
boost Cuba’s economic recovery. And at the environmental level, the 
annual reduction in carbon emissions will contribute to global climate 
governance.”

Also participating in the inauguration of the PSFV Mártires de Barbados 
II were Gladys Martínez Verdecia, member of the Political Bureau and 
secretary of the Provincial Party Committee in Artemisa; Oscar 
Pérez-Oliva Fraga, deputy prime minister and minister of Foreign Trade 
and Investment; and Gerardo Peñalver Portal, first deputy minister of 
Foreign Affairs, among other dignitaries.

On the Cuban side, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign 
Investment Déborah Rivas Saavedra conveyed “on behalf of the Cuban 
government, party, and people, the deepest and most sincere gratitude to 
the government of the People’s Republic of China, the China 
International Development Cooperation Agency, and the China 
International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange for their 
arduous efforts to execute this project in the shortest time possible.”

She praised the Chinese authorities for giving the initiative “emergency 
treatment in order to support our country in the complex situation 
facing the National Electric System,” as well as the technical 
collaboration between the Chinese and Cuban institutions that participated.
She recalled that the PSFV Mártires de Barbados II was built in record 
time after supplies arrived last July. Like the other six 5 MW plants, 
it will contribute an estimated 8,000 MWh, for a total of 56,000 MWh per 
year, which will help reduce service disruptions during daytime hours 
and increase installed electricity generation capacity.

Highlighting the contribution of this donation to the transformation of 
the national energy matrix by increasing the use of renewable and clean 
energies, the Deputy Minister of Mincex emphasized its environmental 
impact, which “will be significant, as a total of 49,280 tons of carbon 
dioxide will no longer be emitted into the atmosphere.” In addition, it 
will contribute to the national effort to achieve energy sovereignty and 
independence.

Rivas Saavedra reported that, following the completion of the first 35 
MW stage, with seven 5 MW PSFV units, rapid progress is being made on 
the second phase of the project, involving a further 85 MW.

She argued that to this end, “the first supplies have arrived in the 
country and the rest will be received before the end of this year, which 
will allow for its construction and commissioning in the first quarter 
of 2026.”

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment reiterated 
her gratitude “for the systematic gestures of support from the People’s 
Republic of China to Cuba at this complex time we are facing, in 
particular the cooperation in the energy sector.”

She also thanked “the Chinese government for its prompt response in 
offering its solidarity and assistance in recovering from the damage 
caused by Hurricane Melissa, with donations of food, galvanized steel 
coils for the production of roofing for homes, mattresses, solar lights, 
among other items, which will benefit those affected in the eastern 
provinces.”

“All these signs of cooperation from the Chinese government,” she said, 
“confirm the special nature of our ties and are a practical expression 
of the construction of a community with a shared future between China 
and Cuba.”

(Granma 
<https://en.granma.cu/mundo/2025-11-13/chinas-cooperation-with-cuba-in-the-energy-sector-remains-strong-and-steady>) 
by René Tamayo León

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