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Tesla finalizes 430MW Megapack contract in Puerto Rico

Credit: Tesla

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Tesla Megapacks are set to back a new energy storage facility in Puerto Rico, after officials from the territory’s government and from the company met last week to sign a contract for the deal.

As detailed in a press release from project partner Genera PR, Tesla has signed a contract for a 430MW/ 1,720MWh Megapack project across six different power plant locations in Puerto Rico. Tesla’s Director of Megapack Americas Brad Harbidge was joined by Genera CEO and President Winnie Irizarry, Governor Jenniffer González Colón, and other officials for a contract signing event last Friday.

“We are addressing the energy crisis by taking action to stabilize the system and ensure a reliable, modern, and accessible electric service for all,” said González Colón. “The signing of the contract for the acquisition of 430 MW in Energy Storage Systems, which does not cost the people as it comes from federal funds, does not increase emissions, is part of the movement toward new energy sources, and can greatly reduce power outages.”

The Megapacks will be deployed to sites at power generation plants in the following locations:

  • Cambalache, Arecibo
  • Vega Baja
  • Palo Seco, Toa Baja
  • Yabucoa
  • Aguirre, Salinas
  • Costa Sur

Initial Megapacks are set to begin arriving in Cambalache in July, while the parties expect the entire distributed system to become operational by the first quarter of 2027.

On Monday, González Colón also shared additional photos from the Friday meeting on X, which you can see below.

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Credit: Jenniffer González | X

Credit: Jenniffer González | X

Credit: Jenniffer González | X

READ MORE PUERTO RICO: Tesla launches large-scale Virtual Power Plant (VPP) in Puerto Rico

“The new energy storage systems will allow for the integration of 430 MW of clean, instantly dispatchable energy for up to four hours, resulting in an expected 90-percent reduction in load shedding,” Irizarry said.

Officials selected Tesla’s four-hour Megapacks for the project in October, prior to finalizing the contract at the signing event. The groups have also said that they expect the total investment into the project to reach $767 million, likely including everything from the purchase price of the Megapacks, to construction and labor.

The capacity level for the 430MW project is also considered to be the equivalent of the largest power plant currently operating in Puerto Rico, according to the release.

“The signing of this agreement with Tesla represents a momentous change in Puerto Rico’s energy transformation. This unprecedented investment in our energy infrastructure is a firm step toward a sustainable future,” Irizarry adds.

Tesla also launched its latest-generation Powerwall home battery, the Powerwall 3, in Puerto Rico in December, after beginning to roll the new hardware out to a number of markets throughout last year. While Megapacks are Tesla’s product for grid-scale energy storage, Powerwalls are a suitable size for homes and businesses hoping to keep the lights on during outages through charging from the grid or from renewable sources such as solar.

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Using the Powerwall batteries, Tesla has also launched its Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program in Puerto Rico alongside these programs in a handful of U.S. states. The VPP programs effectively create a giant, distributed battery from Powerwall owners across a given region, letting them sell their stored electricity back to the grid during times of peak use or outages.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla building battery repair facility near Collie Megapack project

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Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025

The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide. 

To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.

Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025

The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream. 

Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.

This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.

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Resilience after Supercharger team changes

2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”

Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.

Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible. 

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Tesla targets production increase at Giga Berlin in 2026

Plant manager André Thierig confirmed the facility’s stable outlook to the DPA, noting that Giga Berlin implemented no layoffs or shutdowns amid challenging market conditions.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is looking positively toward 2026 with plans for further growth at its Grünheide factory in Germany, following steady quarterly increases throughout 2025. 

Plant manager André Thierig confirmed the facility’s stable outlook to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA), noting that Giga Berlin implemented no layoffs or shutdowns despite challenging market conditions. 

Giga Berlin’s steady progress

Thierig stated that Giga Berlin’s production actually rose in every quarter of 2025 as planned, stating: “This gives us a positive outlook for the new year, and we expect further growth.” The factory currently supplies over 30 markets, with Canada recently being added due to cost advantages.

Giga Berlin’s expansion is still underway, with the first partial approval for capacity growth being secured. Preparations for a second partial approval are underway, though the implementation of more production capacity would still depend on decisions from Tesla’s US leadership. 

Over the year, updates to Giga Berlin’s infrastructure were also initiated. These include the relocation of the Fangschleuse train station and the construction of a new road. Tesla is also planning to start battery cell production in Germany starting 2027, targeting up to 8 GWh annually.

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Resilience amid market challenges

Despite a 48% drop in German registrations, Tesla maintained Giga Berlin’s stability. Thierig highlighted this, stating that “We were able to secure jobs here and were never affected by production shutdowns or job cuts like other industrial sites in Germany.”

Thierig also spoke positively towards the German government’s plans to support households, especially those with low and middle incomes, in the purchase and leasing of electric vehicles this 2026. “In our opinion, it is important that the announcement is implemented very quickly so that consumers really know exactly what is coming and when,” the Giga Berlin manager noted. 

Giga Berlin currently employs around 11,000 workers, and it produces about 5,000 Model Y vehicles per week, as noted in an Ecomento report. The facility produces the Model Y Premium variants, the Model Y Standard, and the Model Y Performance. 

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Tesla revamped Semi spotted, insane 1.2 MW charging video releases

These developments highlight Tesla’s ongoing refinements to the vehicle’s design and infrastructure.

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Credit: @HinrichsZane/X

Tesla is gearing up for high-volume Semi production in 2026, with the Class 8 all-electric truck’s revamped variant being spotted in the wild recently. Official footage from Tesla also showed the Semi achieving an impressive 1.2 MW charging rate on a charger. 

These developments highlight Tesla’s ongoing refinements to the vehicle’s design and infrastructure.

Revamped Tesla Semi sighting

Tesla Semi advocate @HinrichsZane, who has been chronicling the progress of the vehicle’s Nevada factory, recently captured exclusive drone footage of the refreshed Class 8 truck at a Megacharger stall near Giga Nevada. The white unit features a full-width front light bar similar to the Model Y and the Cybercab, shorter side windows, a cleared fairing area likely for an additional camera, and diamond plate traction strips on the steps.

Overall, the revamped Semi looks ready for production and release. The sighting marks one of the first real-life views of the Class 8 all-electric truck’s updated design, with most improvements, such as potential 4680 cells and enhanced internals, being hidden from view.

1.2 MW charging speed and a new connector

The official Tesla Semi account on X also shared an official video of Tesla engineers hitting 1.2 MW sustained charging on a Megacharger, demonstrating the vehicle’s capability for extremely rapid charging. Tesla Semi program lead Dan Priestley confirmed in a later post on X that the test occurred at a dedicated site, noting that chargers at the Semi factory in Nevada are also 1.2 MW capable.

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The short video featured a revamped design for the Semi’s charging port, which seems more sleek and akin to the NACS port found in Tesla’s other vehicles. It also showed the Tesla engineers cheering as the vehicle achieved 1.2 MW during its charging session. Dan Priestley explained the Semi’s updated charging plug in a post on X.

“The connector on the prior Semi was an early version (v2.4) of MCS. Not ‘proprietary’ as anyone could have used it. We couldn’t wait for final design to have >1MW capability, so we ran with what had been developed thus far. New Semi has latest MCS that is set to be standard,” the executive wrote in a post on X.

Check out the Tesla Semi’s sighting at the Nevada factory in the video below. 

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