JPS signs power purchase agreement with New Fortress
Published:Thursday | August 24, 2017 | 3:12 PM
The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has signed a power purchase agreement with New Fortress South Power Holdings Limited which will be constructing a 94-megawatt power plant at the Jamalco bauxite operations in Clarendon.
The plant will use Liquefied Natural Gas and will be the third such power generating facility to be constructed in Jamaica, JPS said in a release.
The other two are the JPS Bogue power plant in St. James and the 190-megawatt plant being constructed in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine.
JPS President and CEO, Emanuel DaRosa, addressing the signing ceremony on Wednesday, noted that the introduction of the plant will “reduce emissions, lower costs and provide some protection from future oil price increases.”
He said JPS has been investing approximately US$65 million per year, over the past five years, to improve the network.
That will now be increased to about US$100 million this year as the company intensifies its drive to improve operational efficiencies and reliability, DaRosa said.
Chairman of New Fortress Energy, Wes Edens, who also addressed the ceremony, said New Fortress has been committed to playing its part in the development of the Jamaican economy, first through the delivery of gas to the Bogue plant, followed by the critical gas delivery infrastructure for the 190 megawatt plant underway in St. Catherine.
“This is a third very meaningful step for us to be constructing and owning a power plant ourselves,” he said.
“All of this is going toward the goal of clean energy, reliable energy and, most importantly, the creation of jobs and community development,” he added.
Construction of the New Fortress South Power Holdings plant is scheduled to commence in 2018 and is expected to employ up to 500 persons, JPS said.