Caribbean, Central America energy watch

IDB has approved technical cooperation funds to support the Dominican Republic government’s power sector institutional strengthening efforts.

The resources will help implement the energy and mines ministry’s power sector sustainability and efficiency program, for which the regional lender approved a US$400mn loan (DR-L1058) in 2018.

“One of the main institutional challenges presented in DR-L1058 is the consolidation of efforts to separate the activities of the sector in: (i) design and implementation of sector policy; (ii) planning; (iii) regulation; and (iv) business initiative for production and provision of electricity service,” according to the bank.

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Jamaica’s state refiner Petrojam has issued a call for international and local bids to conduct a plantwide process hazard analysis at its 35,000b/d refinery complex (pictured).

Offers are due by November 6, according to the procurement notice.

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The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has established a tribunal for a dispute involving a claim by ethanol producer Campos de Pesé against Panama’s government over alleged commercial damage caused by measures taken by the previous administration that impacted the price of the biofuel.

ICSID registered the case in June, with Hughes Hubbard & Reed and Greenberg Traurig representing the company and the Panamanian state, respectively.