Dominica highlights geothermal power benefits while commissioning continues
Geothermal power plant in Laudat, Dominica (source: Amir Junger)
Carlo Cariaga
3 Jun 2026
Even while the geothermal power plant in Dominica is still in its commissioning phase, communities are already benefiting from lower power generation costs.
Dominica Electricity Services Ltd. (DOMLEC) has highlighted the benefits of geothermal power for electricity costs and diesel consumption in Dominica, even while the power plant is still in its commissioning phase. This is an important update in the context of unstable global fuel prices, as well as to appease customers that are likely getting inconvenienced by the outages caused by the commissioning and testing the geothermal power plant.
According to the update, renewable energies now account for 51% of the energy usage in Dominica, with geothermal power contributing 26% of the share. This has reduced power generation from diesel fuel from 70% to 49%. The overall result is a decrease in total power generation costs, despite steadily increasing fuel costs from January to April 2026.
As commissioning of the geothermal power plant proceeds, more geothermal generation is expected to further reduce diesel fuel usage. However, DOMLEC clarifies that the power rates during commissioning are discounted. When the Commercial Operations Date (COD) is declared, geothermal power will be sold at a higher commercial rate. Even under the commercial scenario, the power generation costs would still be substantially lower than if there was no geothermal power in the energy mix.
According to the most recent update in April 2026, the 10-MW geothermal power plant in Dominica has already entered the last stages of commissioning. There is an extensive history behind the development of this power plant, and seeing it finally transition to commercial operations is an encouraging sign for improving energy security in Dominica and provides a blueprint for similar projects in the Caribbean region.
Source: DOMLEC via Facebook
