Dominica Hoping to Commission Geothermal Plant by 2026
ROSEAU, Dominica – The Dominica government says it remains confident that the 10 megawatt geothermal energy power plant will be commissioned by 2O26, after signing a contract worth almost US$40 million with an Indian company.
(File Photo)Energy Minister Dr. Vince Henderson said while there has been steady progress with the geothermal energy development project, developments in the Middle East are likely to affect the project timeline.
He said two weeks ago, the Dominica Geothermal Development Company signed a contract for US$38.9 million with the Indian-based company that will be constructing 10 kilometers of transmission lines with sub-stations from Laudat, a small village in the center of the island, located between three mountains into Fond Cole, on the outskirts of th capital.
“We are very excited about that milestone because it means that the company has started mobilising and very shortly we will see actual action on the ground so that construction can begin within the next several weeks.
“This is an important milestone we have reached, and work is also ongoing for the construction of the power plant at Laudat and a local company has been awarded the contract for the site preparation….,” Henderson said.
“We expect that by October of this year most of the equipment will arrive on island and by early next year we can see construction in earnest for the first 10 megawatt geothermal plant.
But Henderson said that while the projec is on scheduled and it is hoped to have the project completed by the end of 2025, there have been several challenges “especially with the conflict in the Middle East, considering that most of our equipment come out of Israel, a lot of the personnel as well for that (Indian) company are based in Israel.
“So in spite of these challenges we still are on target, on schedule and we hope we can have the plant commissioned by early 2026, once construction is completed by December 2025,” Henderson added.
In April this year, Finance Minister Dr. Irving McIntyre defended the government’s decision to seek a loan of over EC$100 million (One EC dollar = 0.37 cents) for constructing the 10-megawatt geothermal energy plant, saying it is in keeping with its plans to accelerate the efforts to bring geothermal-generated electricity to the island’s grids by December 2025.was prepared to provide the loan for the project.
He said the current electricity and distribution network, owned by the Dominica Electricity Company Limited (DOMLEC), needs more capacity to transport the electricity generated by the geothermal plants and that the new resilient network would transmit the electricity generated by the 10-megawatt power plant and can transmit the electricity from the three hydroelectric power plants in the neighboring Roseau Valley.
