Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs (standing) and GEBE representatives Troy Washington and Dennis Richardson with members of the PM’s cabinet and the Council of Ministers Secretariat during Thursday’s meeting.
PHILIPSBURG--Utilities company GEBE was reviewing the possibility of leasing additional mobile engine capacity to cover the shortfall in electricity supply, caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Silveria Jacobs told Members of Parliament (MPs) during the continuation of a meeting on GEBE on Thursday.
MPs during the meeting.
She was responding to a question posed by MP Sarah Wescot-Williams during the first round of the meeting held in September last year, which was adjourned in the first round. Wescot-Williams was requesting specific information on what GEBE’s long-term solutions meant for the outages and load-shedding that were being experienced at the time; how much longer consumers would experience the outages and in what time frame the solutions would be implemented.
Jacobs, who had indicated at the start of Thursday’s meeting that the answers had been completed in December, said the short-term solution is to address the current issue of load-shedding. “GEBE is in the process of reviewing the possibility of leasing additional mobile engine capacity to cover the shortfall in electricity supply. In addition to this, the Council of Ministers-approved roadmap is being taken along,” said Jacobs.
She said GEBE was collaborating with the World Bank and National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) to complete an investment plan for the company.
The scope of the Investment Plan will be executed in a two-phased approach. The first phase will focus on resolving the urgent needs and developing a least-cost power development plan (LCPDP). The assignment began in December 2023 and is expected to be concluded three months after it began. Jacobs indicated that the LCPDP is for a 10-year horizon starting in 2024.
“The LCPDP will provide recommendations for developing the optimal expansion plan for the generation and transmission system of GEBE, focusing on the island’s supply options and the ambition for renewable integration,” Jacobs said. “The optimal expansion will minimise the expected net present value of investment, operating costs, and cost of non-supplied demand over the period from a country perspective, subject to risk-based constraints regarding minimum reliability and maximum operation costs.”
She said GEBE had engaged a consultant, through the NRPB, who will assist in conducting a crucial feasibility study that aims to identify the most suitable form of renewable energy based on the existing infrastructure. It will also assess whether upgrades are necessary to integrate renewable energy sources. The study also considers the company's current installed capacity, present peak demand – 56.4 megawatts – as well as the ongoing growth of the island, impacting the reliability criteria.
Consequently, the focus will be on expanding GEBE’s generating capacity (installed capacity) to meet the rising demand, said Jacobs.
“These efforts towards the progress, growth and sustainability of NV GEBE align with the
government’s vision through its roadmap towards renewable energy. To support this vision, funding was made available through the Emergency Recovery Project l of the St Maarten Trust Fund.”
Then-MP Angelique Romou had asked Jacobs what alternative models or energy sources GEBE was considering and whether there was a timeline for their implementation. Jacobs said that as part of the ongoing efforts to modernise GEBE’s infrastructure and ensure consistent and reliable power delivery to residents and visitors, the company along with the NRPB would jointly undertake the development of a comprehensive investment plan for GEBE.
She said the government of St. Maarten is committed to the progress, growth, and sustainability of GEBE. which aligns with the government’s vision through its roadmap towards renewable energy.
“To support this vision, funding was made available through the Emergency Recovery Project 1 of the St. Maarten Trust Fund. A portion of this funding has been allocated to assess NV GEBE’s current operations, identifying areas that require urgent attention and addressing any shortcomings in power generation,” Jacobs said.
She said an in-depth “demand forecasting study” will be performed as part of this initiative; the evaluation will determine the grid’s adequacy and ability to meet future demand.
