BRADES – Montserrat has launched an EC$36 million (BDS$26.6 million) power plant project that will provide the island with a more efficient supply of electricity and pave the way for a more renewable energy programme.
The project is being funded by the London-based Department for International Development (DFID) and the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
A government statement said that since the beginning of volcanic activity here in 1995, “the island has been challenged with supplying its population with power”.
“For the past 15 years Montserrat Utilities Ltd (MUL) has been using high-speed containerised diesel generating sets to meet the electricity demand. The Gensets were designed for emergency situations and with a service life of about ten years.”
But over the past five years, there has been increased electricity blackouts impacting heavily on local production.
Acting Premier and Minister of Communications Charles T. Kirnon said he was grateful for the grant made by the British government and the CDB for “bridging the financial gap to enable us to complete the project”.
Kirnon said the government was actively exploring renewable sources of energy “to reduce the island’s dependence on imported fossil fuel for its energy needs”.
“Government is therefore advancing its plans at geothermal develop,” he added.
DFID is providing EC$22.4 million (BDS$16.58 million) while the CDB is providing a soft loan of EC$ 6.7 million (BDS$4.96 million) and EC$1 million (BDS$740 740) grant from the CDB for the project.
DFID Programme Representative Kato Kimbugwe, said increased outages will make Montserrat un-attractive to investors, which is critical for the islands further development. He said DFID’s “intervention, enables MUL to provide and efficient, secure and reliable electricity service”. (CMC)
