Majuro, Marshall Islands – As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure a stable, reliable, and equitable power supply to all our customers, the Marshalls Energy Company (MEC) wishes to share the following policy regarding the connection of private solar energy systems to our distribution network.
We understand that you are interested in connecting your solar system to the MEC grid, and we appreciate your initiative toward sustainable energy practices. However, in line with the policy, we would like to advise that MEC does not or cannot allow any solar system or renewable energy system not owned or operated by MEC to be connected to our power grid. Customers are, of course, free to utilize their solar installation for internal use. However, it cannot be connected to the MEC grid.
The policy is based on the following:
- Only solar energy systems that are owned and operated by MEC will be permitted to connect to the Majuro grid.
- The current MEC Majuro distribution network is based on a radial design with outdated technology, making it highly susceptible to fluctuations and disturbances. Directly connecting various individual solar systems to this network without centralized management can lead to power instabilities, overloading, and potential damage to both the grid and end-user equipment.
- According to international experts, more than $50 million is estimated to be required for distribution upgrades before a large number of controlled PV systems can be connected to the network.
- Solar energy is inherently intermittent and subject to sudden changes due to weather conditions. Without a robust backup system, this can lead to power outages and reliability issues. MEC must always ensure sufficient backup generation to maintain a consistent supply. For that reason, MEC customers with installed solar generation will be assessed a backup capacity charge based on their installed solar capacity.
- The integration of variable renewable energy sources like solar panels requires sophisticated control mechanisms to manage power fluctuations and maintain grid stability.
- High penetration of renewables can lead to an overall reduction in short-circuit currents, potentially causing our protection systems to malfunction.
- During periods of low demand, excess generation from distributed solar can cause reverse current flow, leading to operational challenges.
We understand the growing interest in renewable energy solutions and assure our customers that MEC is committed to increasing the share of solar energy in Majuro’s energy mix. Our approach ensures that this integration is safe, reliable, and fair for all, especially unaffluent consumers.
If you have any questions or require further clarification on the policy or its implementation, please do not hesitate to call the CEO or the Chief Technical Officer at 625-3829, or you can reach us via email at jack.chonggum@mecrmi.com or swakefield@mecrmi.com, respectively.
