Solarization of John F. Kennedy (JFK) Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

The JFK Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides lifesaving care to infants, especially premature babies and infants affected by birth defects. The NICU uses the national grid as its primary power source and diesel generators as alternative power. Over time, there have been major power disruptions on the national grid and/or breakdown of the diesel generators which have put premature and critically ill neonates at serious risk given that the life support equipment used relies on 24-hour power supply.

Critical care in the JFK NICU requires the NICU to be connected to an uninterrupted power supply. The duration of power changeover should be considerably short so as not to pose risk to the lives of neonates on life support. Currently, there is no reliable alternative power system to allow changes between the national grid and the diesel generators. To address these challenges, USAID will install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system alongside existing diesel generators to address the current challenges.

This system will provide instant power during grid outages and sustain all NICU operations for at least six (6) hours. A key feature is the incorporation of dedicated feeder lines for critical functions, ensuring continuous power to essential equipment, even in the event of power shortages or generator malfunctions. This underscores the system's reliability and ability to safeguard the NICU during unexpected events.