NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 08, 2025) - Nevis has reached an historic turning point in its pursuit of geothermal energy, with the official opening of bids for the drilling of five major geothermal wells- marking the most advanced stage of the project to date.
Premier the Honourable Mark Brantley, Minister of Finance and Energy in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), made the announcement during the July 03 sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly.
“I would want to go on record to say that this is a quantum leap forward for this project,” he said, emphasizing the positive momentum the initiative has gained in recent months.
According to the Premier, June 30, 2025, marked an historic step as bids were opened for the drilling of five large geothermal wells- three production wells and two reinjection wells- at the Hamilton site. These wells are intended to support the development of a 30-megawatt (MW) geothermal power plant, capable of providing consistent baseload power to both Nevis and St. Kitts.
“This is in fact the farthest that we have gone in relation to geothermal in all of these years that we have been trying...We now have five of the largest companies in the world engaged… these are household names in the industry.”
The five companies that submitted bids are Iceland Drilling Company from Iceland, Marriott Drilling and Consortium Drilling from the United Kingdom, and Ormat and IPS-USA from the United States.
Premier Brantley explained that although the tender process was initially opened in February, several interested firms requested an extension to facilitate physical site visits and team assessments. He indicated that this flexibility was important to ensure due diligence and a competitive process.
An independent Evaluation Committee has been established to assess the bids. The committee, composed of technical experts from St. Kitts and Nevis as well as regional specialists provided through the Caribbean Development Bank, is expected to complete the technical evaluation by July 31, 2025.
Following this stage, financial proposals from qualifying firms will be opened and evaluated. The firm with the highest combined technical and financial score will be invited to negotiate a drilling contract.
Premier Brantley emphasized the transparency of the process, stating, “The government has no role in the evaluation process. There’s no political involvement in that...We have nothing to do with it, and that is consistent with best practices and the transparency that this government certainly has been known for.”
Looking ahead, Premier Brantley also announced that preparations are already underway for the next phase of the project- the construction of the power plant itself.
He noted that the Bidding Document for the 30 MW geothermal power plant had already been drafted and was currently under review. He added that the tender process for procuring the power plant was expected to begin within the next three months.
The Premier took the opportunity to thank Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew for his continued collaboration and support, saying the Prime Minister had been “working very closely with me and the Nevis Island Administration to get us to this phase and to this stage.”
The project is being funded through a blend of international support, including US$51.6 million from the Green Climate Fund, facilitated by the Caribbean Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, and an additional US$20 million from the Saudi Fund for Development. Nevis is also actively engaged in discussions with the Green Climate Fund, the CARICOM Development Fund, and other partners to secure further financing for future phases of the geothermal energy initiative.
The Nevis Geothermal Energy Project is a flagship initiative aimed at harnessing clean, renewable geothermal energy from the Hamilton site. Once completed, it is expected to provide reliable baseload power for the Federation, reduce fossil fuel dependency, and establish St. Kitts and Nevis as a regional leader in sustainable energy development.
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