by Mervin Matthew
Government Information Service
The drilling of exploratory geothermal wells in the Roseau Valley is expected to commence at the end of July this year.
The contract for the over 4.5 million Euros project was signed on Wednesday, 6th April, 2011 during a ceremony at the Public Service Training Centre in Roseau.
The contract was awarded to the Iceland Drilling Company and is being funded by the Agence Francaise de Development, the European Union and the Government of Dominica.
Project Coordinator, Jason Timothy, explained that the long term objective is to confirm the nature and extent of the potential geothermal resource at various sites within the Wotten Waven area to determine the capacity of wells for sustainable commercial exploitation in generating electric power.
 Project Coordinator,
Jason Timothy
“We have continued studies into the 90’s and recently as 2005 which have indicated that we have a very good resource to provide for development of all our energy needs and possibly to share with out French colleagues in the neighbouring islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. We have indications that these temperatures range from two hundred and fifty to three hundred degrees (250° - 300°) which, in the context of geothermal energy is a very good resource. The area we are looking at is approximately fifteen (15) square kilometres and with this, we hope to close to one hundred and twenty megawatts.”
The European Union is providing 1.5 million Euros grant funds towards the project.
Charge d’Affaires of the EU delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Hubert Perr has voiced support for the project.
Charge d’Affaires of the EU
delegation to Barbados and
the Eastern Caribbean,
Hubert Perr
“It is a unique Dominica resource that is to be tapped into. It has high Government ownership which is shown as well by commitments by Government to make this project happen. These are very important commitments like providing access for the equipment to be transported to the drilling sites. It is a very costly undertaking and the Government has really re-assured us that this is going to happen and that shows as well that this is something that is of high priority to the Government. It is important, as well, because it has great potential for export as much as for domestic use so that foreign revenues can be generated from the project.”
Meantime Hon. Minister for Energy, Rayburn Blackmoore, said that the move towards this renewable source of energy is a welcome one for the Government and people of Dominica.
 Hon. Minister for Energy,
Rayburn Blackmoore
“In 2008, we spent 49.1 million East Caribbean dollars on dieseling power for the purpose of energy generation. In 2009, we spend 63.1 million dollars for the same activity. For the first half of 2010, we spent 38.9 million dollars. This simply means we are spending too much money on the importation of diesel for the express purpose of energy generation.”
Hon. Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Roosevelt Skerrit, believes that the contract is being signed at a critical time in the global energy sector.
 Hon. Prime Minister and
Minister for Finance,
Roosevelt Skerrit
“We are signing this contract at a time when the price of fossil fuel on the international market has surpassed US one hundred dollars (USD$100.00) a barrel. One can appreciated the challenges this will pose to countries like Dominica and indeed the entire world because it will certainly increase the price to the public. It will increase the price of food on the shelves and in a time when all of us in this global environment are grappling with our own economic challenges, to add this on to what we are already dealing with is certainly of tremendous concern to the governments of the world and of course, the Government of Dominica.” |
