Premier Says Government is Exploring Alternative Sources of Energy

~~Adz:Right~~Thursday, November 27 – Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE has confirmed Government’s commitment to exploring alternative sources of energy as residents continue to pay high prices for electricity.

At his Ministerial Press Conference on Tuesday, the Premier revealed that a proposal for a wind farm was recently presented to Caucus by two United States citizens.

Honourable O’Neal said Government is duty bound to explore alternatives in an attempt to bring relief to residents.

“Anything that will benefit the people of the British Virgin Islands, the Government will look into and if the Government finds out that it is feasible and can work and can reduce the cost of electricity, the Government will be morally bound to examine it and consider it very, very carefully,” the Premier stated.

Providing details about the proposal, Honourable O’Neal said the project would be large scale with the possibility of supplying power to St. Thomas and St. John as well.

Three locations, namely, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and the Great Camanoe are being considered for the proposed wind farm. “It will be about 20 or 30 acres because they said the windmills must be a certain distance away because of the size of the fans and the height of the poles would be about 200 feet,” the Premier stated.

Honourable O’Neal said one of his main concerns was whether or not the wind farm would reduce the need for workers at the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC). However, he has been assured that this would not be the case and the savings could come from the reduction in the amount of diesel that would have to be used in providing electricity to the Territory. “I think that is one of the answers to our problem here,” the Premier concluded.

In addition to exploring alternative sources of energy, Government is working with the BVIEC to bring relief to residents. Cabinet is still awaiting a revised proposal from the BVIEC that would outline a new tariff structure designed to reduce the cost to consumers, while at the same time allow the corporation to continue providing a reliable supply of electricity.

In the absence of a long-term solution, Government has decided in the interim to provide a one-time 50 percent reduction in electricity bills for all residents. Announcing the measure at the first sitting of the second session of the First House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands on November 13, Honourable O’Neal said the discount will apply to “all electricity bills for the month of November 2008 which will fall due and payable in December 2008.”

The reduction is expected to cost Government $2.4 million and will be facilitated through the payment of a subvention to the BVIEC.

Government remains acutely aware of the impact of rising cost of living in the Territory and is committed to pursuing all possibilities and instituting appropriate measures to bring relief to residents.