Cuba and Japan promote collaborative projects in the energy sector

Havana, August 26 - Cuba and Japan are enhancing cooperation in the energy sector with the continuation of a project that will benefit residents of the special municipality of the Isle of Youth, a source reported.

Sponsored by the Electric Union (UNE), the Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project for the Improvement of Electricity Supply recently entered its second phase, as announced by the Japanese entity in a press release.

Since its launch in 2019, the cooperation program has involved a total investment of 2.39 billion Japanese yen (approximately $16.6 million, according to current exchange rates), JICA specified.

As part of the recent phase in the region, seven new internal combustion generators were added, and equipment was installed to enable the start-up of generating units when the electrical system fails, whether due to a breakdown or the passage of a cyclone.

Additionally, a 10-megawatt (MW) battery system was set up, along with a control and energy management system, which will help increase the share of renewable energy in the island’s total electricity generation, thereby contributing to the stabilization of electrical supply in the southern region, the communication detailed.

Municipal authorities and representatives from Japan highlighted the strong bilateral relations and the solidarity between both peoples during the ceremony, with the representative of the JICA Office in Cuba, Ashida Tatsuya, assuring that more projects are expected to be implemented in this energy sector.

The Cuban government is developing the Energy Transition Strategy, aiming to increase the share of renewable energy in national electricity generation to 24 percent by 2030, in line with its commitments to Sustainable Development Goals, the note indicates.

In this context, JICA will continue to promote cooperation in Cuba’s energy sector, where it is also implementing the project “Promotion of Renewable Energy Introduction,” which began in early 2025 and will run for two years in collaboration with UNE.

At the same time, JICA and UNE will continue to support the training of Cuban technicians in the energy sector, including specialists from the Isle of Youth, the Japanese entity confirmed. (Text and photo: Cubasí)