Caribbean power watch
Cuba’s government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have signed a technical cooperation agreement to support the development of a renewable energy master plan.
Under the 24-month project, JICA will help the island’s power company UNE identify projects to be incorporated by 2030 and the necessary measures to ensure grid stability, with the goal of increasing the contribution of renewables to 24% from 5%.
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The Dominican Republic's electricity regulator SIE has granted WCG Energy a provisional interconnection permit to test the 50MW Mata de Palma solar park in Santo Domingo province.
The authorization expires on February 28 and allows the plant to link to the national grid which is operated by state power transmission company Eted.
WCG signed a definitive concession contract with the government in 2013.
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Jamaica’s science, energy and technology minister Fayal Williams said the government will revise the national energy policy - released in October 2009 - to establish new renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation targets.
“We have exceeded expectations in many areas,” government news service JIS quoted Williams as saying.
She highlighted that petroleum accounts for 74.1% of installed power generation capacity, followed by wind (10%) and hydro (2.8%), compared with 95%, 2.4% and 2.6% in 2008, respectively.
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Information from IDB shows that the lender is preparing technical cooperation to support the Bahamas’ renewable energy program and institutional reform in a bid to provide cheaper, more sustainable electricity.
“With the addition of cleaner, cheaper fuel and new more efficient generators that consume less energy it is expected that the cost of electricity will go down in time,” Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said during an assembly house debate regarding an electricity rate reduction bond bill.
New funds must be raised to ensure power supply, according to the head of state, who highlighted legacy debt of US$321mn at Bahamas Power and Light.
“We must invest heavily in new equipment, software and the facilities of the future,” a government release quoted Minnis as saying.
The prime minister added that a 132MW thermo plant is due online in December as part of a broader strategy to add 200MW-plus to New Providence.
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