CHARLESTOWN, Nevis -- PREMIER Mark Brantley has confirmed that work on the geothermal project in Nevis is expected to begin by the middle of the year, as the successful bidder, Iceland Drillers, has outlined its timeline for the project.
Speaking at his monthly press conference on Monday, the Premier said officials from Iceland Drilling were on the island last week and indicated that August is the target date to begin work.
"In my brief engagement with the members from Icelandic Drilling, they set out a very aggressive timeline that they could mobilise and, in fact, hope to start drilling by August. This is their timeline. I’m optimistic that we can make it, bearing in mind that we’re in April. But they feel that the drill rig, which they say is en route to Iceland for repairs and retrofitting, can then sail to Nevis to commence the drilling operations here, which will be a significant forward step in terms of our geothermal ambitions.”
The update comes as welcomed news for the Nevis Island Administration and the wider Federation, especially amid the growing geopolitical fallout from the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has led to spikes in the price of crude oil and fertilizers.
"As global conflict continues, impact in the Gulf region, impact in the Strait of Hormuz, as Russia, Venezuela, Iran, and the Gulf countries, all of which are significant players in the global oil industry, continue to have an assortment of difficulties, it says to me that our people need to prepare ourselves for what looks like a very long road of increased costs for oil, increased costs for energy, increased costs for electricity. And when electricity prices go up, we know everything else goes up."
Premier Brantley underscored that the ongoing conflict highlights the importance of the geothermal project for the people of the Federation, particularly as the country continues to push for greater energy security and reduced dependence on imported fuel.
"Fishermen will have no choice. They have to now look at increasing the cost of fish because fuel is going up. The busmen will have no choice. They will have to look at increasing the cost of bus fare because fuel is going up. And I want our people sometimes to consider that we look at these things, we see them on CNN and the BBC, and we treat them as if there’s some distant conflict that has nothing to do with us. That’s Iran. That’s Ukraine. But in truth, the impact is felt right here on the island of Nevis. That, I think, is an important point that we bear in mind."
The Premier gave the update during the latest in his monthly press conference held in Nevis on Monday morning.
