DOMINICA GROUNDWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TO ALL RESIDENTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) – The Commonwealth of Dominica is paving the way to create a sustainable future for its citizens via funds received from the Citizenship by Investment Programme to pursue its sustainability goals.

According to a statement, these sustainable goals include Dominica’s successful adoption of clean energy in which 28 per cent of the country’s electricity is generated by hydropower and wind energy, more than any other country in the Caribbean Community region.

During his 2022-2023 Budget presentation, the Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit presented updates on the construction of the geothermal power plant project that will be commissioned by end-2024 to improve independent energy resources.

“I say to our young people that the investments we are making in the development of our geothermal resources is for them – a future Dominica with high-paying jobs and careers in the areas of geological sciences, geothermal energy, project management, mechanical, industrial and electrical engineering,” said Skerrit.

The Dominica Geothermal Development Company (DGDC) is developing the project and plans for a 10-megawatt (MW) capacity plant that will be located in Roseau Valley.

Dominica has signed a US$33.7 million contract with DGDC to drill two additional wells in the country, meanwhile the well pads and access roads will be built by ACE engineering with a US$8.5 million contract. (US$1 = RM4.42)

The preparatory work for the construction of the transmission network from Roseau Valley to Fond Cole and Sugar Loaf, were two contracts awarded valued at US$2.5 million.

This will supply power from both the geothermal and hydropower power plants to the rest of Dominica, which will include the upgrade of the transmission lines from 11 kilovolt (kV) to 33kV and 99kV to reduce line loss and be more resilient to climate change events.

Dominica is also committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, through the use of the Dominica Climate Resilience Recovery Plan that was established under the terms of the Climate Resilience Act 2018, and provides full effect to the National Resilience Development Strategy developed in 2018.

-- BERNAMA