Geothermal power plant construction in Dominica planned this year
Dominica geothermal project site, Caribbean (source: Nixon George, Quick Link Productions via Dominica GDC)
Carlo Cariaga
31 Jan 2023
With drilling of the first well completed, plans are underway to start the construction of the geothermal power plant in Roseau Valley in Dominica.
With the drilling of one geothermal well completed, negotiations are underway for the construction for the 10-MW geothermal power plant in the island nation of Dominica. This is according to the latest update provided by Dr. Vance Henderson, Dominica’s Minister for Planning, Economic Development, Climate Resilience, Sustainable Development, and Renewable Energy.
“We are hoping that by April we would have concluded all the drilling and we would then move quickly into the construction of a power plant. Negotiations with a developer on the construction of the power plant will begin by the third of February,” said Dr. Henderson during a news conference.
“We are currently carrying out our environment and social impact assessment study and the designs have been completed,” Henderson further added.
Henderson also said that at least one production well had already been completed and that it had excellent results so far in terms of temperature, pressure, and permeability. Drilling for the second well is expected to commence by March.
The geothermal project in the village of Laudat in Roseau Valley is being developed by the Dominica Geothermal Development Company, a wholly owned entity of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
In mid-2022, Dominica Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit reported that a contract had already been signed with the Iceland Drilling Company to drill two additional wells. Meanwhile, construction work for the well pads and access roads had already been ongoing at that time.
The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica had later issued a call for Expressions of Interest for the design, supply, and installation of a transmission network from the planned geothermal substation at Roseau Valley.
Source: Caribbean National Weekly
