Energy Minister Dr Vince Henderson says the Government of Dominica is ready to begin construction on a 10-kilowatt geothermal power plant to supplement the supply of electricity from the Dominica Electricity Company (DOMLEC).
The Dominica government is said to have invested nearly US$50 million, so far, in geothermal research and Henderson said, on a recent radio programme that tests done at wells drilled in Laudat, an area in the centre of the island, have shown that there is enough geothermal resource potential to transmit and distribute throughout Dominica.
“Having done that we have gotten to the stage where we are ready to actually build the power plant and to get the power to DOMLEC through a transmission system which will take us from the Roseau Valley all the way to Fond Cole,” Henderson said.
He added that: “We have made great progress and we are very excited about where we are now, because we are at the stage where we are ready to actually start work on the power plant.”
On December 5, 2023, the Dominica government along with DOMLEC signed an agreement with Ormat Technologies Inc of Nevada USA to finance the construction of the plant, operate and maintain the power plant and geothermal wells for a period of 25 years.
The agreement, which was signed on the margins of COP28 in Dubai, said the Government would maintain ownership of the wells, lands and other assets that it has invested in.
The energy minister said the government chose to invest in geothermal not because it was easy, but for its potential to transform Dominica.
“So, we have the potential and we see how it can help to transform Dominica’s energy landscape, but also we can change things around,” he said, adding that it is one of the most resilient forms of renewable energy.
“Solar and wind are good, they have their place, but there are also some serious challenges that geothermal doesn’t have.”
“Once you go, you drill, you build a proper housing or a proper facility for that plant, you don’t have to worry about hurricanes. It’s not like panels that can be blown away or broken if some flying object knocks it up,” said the energy minister.
The Dominica government has been exploring the prospects of transition to geothermal energy sources for over 20 years and Henderson said he is excited about the prospects of the removal of the fuel surcharge which is often the major cost imposed on consumer’s electricity bills.