Remarks
by
Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley
Minister of Science, Energy and Technology
At
Groundbreaking for Project Renaissance (New 190MW Power
Plant in Old Harbour Bay)
Friday, April 7, 2017
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Mr. Lloyd Grant, Councillor of Old Harbour Bay
Mrs. Hillary Alexander, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science,
Energy and Technology
Madame Master of Ceremonies, the incomparable Fae Ellington
Mr. Chang Sup Jo, JPS Board Chairman
Ms. Kelly Tomlin, CEO, Jamaica Public Service Company
Mr. David Cooke, Project Director
Mr. Dan Theoc, General Manager, South Jamaica Power Company
(SJPC)
Mr. Hiromichi Mizuno, President, Marubeni Corporation
Mr. Tatsuya Ozono, President & CEO, Marubeni Caribbean Power
Inc.
Mr. Yong Jin Kim, CEO, East West Powers (EWP)
Joaquin Garcia CEO, TSK and other TSK officials
Mr. Ansord Hewitt, Executive Director, Office of Utilities Regulation
(OUR)
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Professor Alvin Wint, Chairman Electricity Sector Enterprise Team
(ESET)
Invited guests
Members of the media
Good Afternoon.
It is a special afternoon indeed as moments from now, we will
witness ground being broken for construction of the new Old
Harbour Bay Power Plant, which has so aptly been christened
Project Renaissance.
Congratulations are in order for JPSCO, their subsidiary the South
Jamaica Power Company (SJPC) and their partners on this project.
Focus on Green Economy & Renewables: 30 in 30
As you know, renaissance means a revival or a renewal. You also
know, the new 190 MW Power Plant, located here at Old Harbour
Bay, which is valued at US$330 million, will utilize Liquefied Natural
Gas (LNG) in its energy mix.
This, ladies and gentlemen, explains the term renaissance, as the
renewable LNG, utilized in the 190MW Project Renaissance will
plant us even more firmly on the path to ushering in the green
economy, in which renewables are critical contributors.
The commissioning into service of Project Renaissance will
propel us further along the trajectory of achieving Government’s
ambitious, 30 in 30 initiative. That is 30 percent of Jamaica’s
electricity, being generated by renewables in 2030.
With that, I again extend a warm welcome to our Spanish partners
TSK, who will be constructing the Plant and our Korean partners
East West Power (EWP), who along with our Japanese partners
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Marubeni Corporation, are 80 percent shareholders in Project
Renaissance.
The Jamaican Government, which has a 19.9 percent stake in
Project Renaissance, looks forward to the continued and
increased gains the replacement of the 40 year-old, oil-based,
single cycle plant, with the new, more efficient, cost-effective and
environmentally friendly combined cycle, represent.
Project Renaissance fits squarely into our international
obligations as a signatory of the 2016 Paris Agreement and it
bodes well for our mission to meet the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), by significantly cutting CO2 emissions by 2030
Gains made on the Energy front: International Accolades,
Indexes and Awards & Conversion of Bogue Power Plant,
2018 Commissioning of New Energy fortress Solar-Powered
Plant
As I congratulate JPS and partners – all here today, I, along with
the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology, our Agencies, and
all our Energy Partners are very proud of the gains made by
Jamaica’s energy sector.
Ladies and gentlemen, these gains have been purposefully plotted
by government and conscientiously implemented through the
National Energy Policy (NEP) (2009-2030).
Jamaica’s NEP has been lauded by no less than the World Economic
Forum as “a model for lawmakers across the region”.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends, I quote the WEF’s Global Energy
Architecture Performance Index Report 2017, released in
March. In that report, Jamaica moved up the Index by not two or
three points, but by six point.
In case you are wondering, our oil producing Caribbean neighbour
Trinidad and Tobago moved up that index by 1, and are 17 places
below us.
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Our consistent and aggressive efforts in overhauling our Energy
Sector have earned us case study-status in this recent Report.
Ladies and gentlemen, Jamaica, Uruguay and Mexico, are the three
countries in the list of Most Improved in the WEF’s 2017 energy
report.
This, I believe further cements Jamaica’s position as a regional
leader in comprehensive energy assessment and planning,
following the 2016 award of Best Government Infrastructure
Strategy to Jamaica, by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF).
Notably, just a couple of weeks ago in Panama, I was bestowed the
Renewables Champion of the Year award from the Renewable
Energy America and the Caribbean Congress (RECAM).
Although I collected the award, it is really Jamaica’s achievement
and represents the yeoman’s effort that has been executed in
ushering in a competitive energy framework for sustainable and
inclusive growth and development.
This however does not mean we relax and take our foot off the gas.
Yes, we are happy for the US$18 million saved by the cut in oil
imports that the 80.30 MW of renewables added to the grid in 2016
represent.
Yes, we also appreciate that this 80 MW of renewables added to
the grid translates into an 800,000 metric tonne reduction in
carbon dioxide emissions from 2014-2016.
We are also grateful for last year’s conversion of the Bogue Power
Plant from an oil-based, to a duel-fuel-capacity (LNG & Diesel) one.
Along with this conversion came the commissioning and opening of
the LNG terminal in Montego Bay in November, last year, which
represents an over US$200M investment and construction spend
by Fortress Energy North Holdings Limited.
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We look forward, also to the projected 2018 completion of a 37MW
Solar-Powered Plant, for which license has been granted to the
Eight Rivers Energy Company.
More immediately, however, Jamaica looks forward to even
more gains on the green economy front and savings in fuel
expenditure that Project Renaissance with its 190 MW of
renewables added to the gird represents.
Once again, congratulations to JPS – parent company to the
South Jamaica Power Company (SJPC), which will oversee the
operations at Project Renaissance.
Congratulations to your partners Marubeni Corporation and EWP,
and all who have been involved in the delicate and intricate
processes of logistics, paperwork and negotiations.
Congratulations also to the Spanish company TSK for landing the
contract to construct the Power Plant dubbed Project
Renaissance.
Jamaica’s future is looking green indeed, sustainable, competitive
and SET for the 5 in 4, that a 21st century Energy Sector will
undoubtedly prepare us for.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.
Thank you
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