Dominica's geothermal power plant: on track for Christmas completion

March 10 - Construction is advancing steadily in Dominica on a 10-megawatt geothermal power plant to become the second in the OECS and the first in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with a targeted completion date of Christmas Day–December 25, 2025.

Hon. Dr. Vince Henderson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, provided a comprehensive update on the project's status.

"A lot of work is taking place. We are really on our way to constructing our 10-megawatt geothermal power plant. Currently, most of the equipment [has] been brought on-site. We had a vessel in port over a week ago."

By harnessing the Nature Isle’s volcanic potential, the facility, located at Laudat in the lush Roseau Valley, promises to significantly reduce fossil fuel dependency while providing stable, clean energy to some 23,000 Dominican homes, according to the Dominica Geothermal Development Company (DGDC), the public-private partnership driving the power project.

Dr. Henderson expressed confidence in the project's success:

"We are moving on pretty well, and I'm very, very, very happy and feel confident that we'll be able to get this done in time."

The commissioning of the Laudat plant is expected to be an early milestone in the OECS Decade of Action for Sustainable Energy Development, launched in February with the Basseterre Declaration by the Council of Ministers: Energy, at its third meeting in St Kitts and Nevis. The goal is to ensure that at least 30 per cent of the region’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2035, though several Member States have pledged to ramp up to full green power by then.

Dominica is one of five Member States in the OECS GEOBUILD Programme which is advancing geothermal energy in the Eastern Caribbean. Supported by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the OECS Commission is also working to build capacity in Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines to explore and develop the region’s vast geothermal potential

The Laudat project has reached critical milestones, including the installation of key infrastructure components.

"We've seen the installation now of the cooling system, which is a huge radiator-type system with cooling towers at the top," Dr Henderson explained. "The construction of the metal frame took place a few weeks ago, and we've seen the installation of the heaviest part of the entire power plant."

Amir Junger, Project Manager from Ormat Technologies Inc., which is building and will eventually operate the power plant, provided technical insights into the ongoing construction.

"All the structure has been assembled with the air coolers," Junger noted. "We are assembling the fan rings with the fan motors and the fans part of the cooling system of the air-cooled condenser. Beneath you can see that we are pouring the foundation."

Geothermal power plants tap into underground heat reservoirs. They extract steam or hot water, which drives turbines to generate electricity. The used steam is condensed and hot water is cooled to be reinjected underground to maintain the reservoir's pressure and sustainability. This process provides a renewable, constant energy source with minimal environmental impact.

Despite recent rainy conditions, the project remains on schedule.

"We are not stopping," Junger emphasised. "The plan is to have the COD [Commercial Operation Date] on the 25th of December 2025. That's the plan. We are doing all the efforts, keeping the schedule on a weekly basis, monitoring things, planning ahead."

Additional collaborative efforts include working with the electric utility, Dominica Electricity Services Limited (Domlec), to ensure power readiness and coordination with an Indian company, Kalpataru Projects International Development Company, which is building the transmission network. This company will be constructing ten kilometres of transmission lines with substations starting from Laudat into Fond Cole, where the power will be integrated into the national grid

Guadeloupe’s Bouillante plant has been operating since 1983. It now supplies 15MW with planned expansion to 45MW.

The Laudat power plant represents a significant investment in Dominica's sustainable energy future, supported by international partners including the World Bank and the CDB, and involving strategic collaboration with the OECS Commission, among other regional and international entities.

Watch the official video, courtesy of the Office of the Prime Minister, Commonwealth of Dominica, here: https://bit.ly/dominicageothermal

About OECS GEOBUILD:

The OECS Geothermal Energy Capacity Building for Utilisation, Investment and Local Development (OECS GEOBUILD) ​ is a programme of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission aimed at unlocking the geothermal energy potential in five OECS Member States - Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The programme works to bring economic and environmental benefits beyond electric power generation, contributing to the sustainable development of the region. It is supported by the Caribbean Development Bank, the European Union Caribbean Investment Facility and the Inter-American Development Bank. Visit OECS GEOBUILD at oecs.int/geobuildFollow OECS Commission on LinkedIN: OECS Commission | LinkedINFacebook: @OECS Commission | Facebook

PHOTO CREDIT: Office of the Prime Minister, Dominica

Hon. Dr. Vince Henderson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy

Amir Junger, Project Manager, Ormat Technologies Inc.

The cooling system will condense steam and return water to be reinjected underground.

Workmen assembling one of the cooling towers.

The plant is located in the lush Roseau Valley in central Dominica.