Geothermal Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Nevis Island News and Notes

Geothermal Drilling Not The Cause Of Nevis Earthquakes

West Indies Power’s CEO – Kerry McDonald

Charlestown, Nevis
November 04, 2008

Chief Executive Office (CEO) of West Indies Power (Nevis) Ltd, (WIP) Mr. Kerry McDonald expressed confidence in the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Unit) (SRU) scientific findings, which collaborated WIP scientific conclusion of no known correlation between the series of earthquakes which recently occurred on Nevis, and the approved geothermal project contracted to WIP.

In a joint press briefing held Monday, November 03, with Director and Manager of the Nevis Disaster Management Office Mr. Lester Blackett, Mcdonald cleared the air when he made the following statement and assured the people of Nevis that drilling activities were not linked to the earthquakes, another respected analysis by the regions research institution studying volcanic and earthquake activity at Arc-level.

University of Iceland Geothermal Training Board

Charlestown, Nevis
August, 26, 2008

Geothermal training is in the works for Nevisians. This was the good news received when the Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry and his Nevis delegation visited the United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme (UNU-GTP). The Hon. Joseph Parry held talks with the programme directors on his recent trip to Iceland, August 17-20, 2008.

The Nevis delegation included Junior Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Hon. Carlisle Powell, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ernie Stapleton and Protocol Officer, Miss Angelica Elliott.

The UNU-GTP has operated in Iceland since 1979, with an aim at assisting developing countries with geothermal potential to build up or strengthen groups of specialists in most aspects of geothermal exploration and development.

According to Premier Parry, a number of professional studies in geothermal are available in Iceland and the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) led Nevis Island Administration (NIA) is working towards getting interested residents of Nevis, to work towards degrees and certificates in this renewable energy resource to the island. Presently there are no training courses for persons who do not have a first degree, but the (NIA) will be seeking to have a course of study put in place for those individuals who are interested but do not have a professional degree.

Nevis Utility Minister – Hon. Carlisle Powell

Charlestown, Nevis
May 09, 2008

Junior Minister with responsibility for Utilities in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Carlisle Powell, disclosed on Wednesday May 07, 2008, that the Nevis Electricity Company Ltd.(NEVLEC) the island’s only electricity supplier, would be the sole vendor within Nevis for any from of energy harnessed on the island. He said that the move would enrich the Company and safeguard its employees.

The Minister made the remark at an Achievement Award Ceremony for staff members who were trained in First Aid and a basic Computer course, hosted by NEVLEC’s Human Resource Department. The ceremony was held at the Red Cross Building in Charlestown.

“All of the discussions that we [NIA] have held with the wind power company and with the geothermal company, we have said to them that they will have to sell the power in Nevis to NEVLEC. We are not ever going to give them the right to sell power to individual consumers on Nevis. We want them first of all to enter into an agreement with NEVLEC in terms of the power purchase agreement, to sell the power to NEVLEC and then NEVLEC will unsell the power to the consumers on Nevis.

“We do that because the people who are employed at NEVLEC should not be out of a job. We do that because we feel that when we negotiate a price which will be a fair price to the developer which would allow them to make some profits and which will allow them to see returns on their investment, we must negotiate a price that NEVLEC would be comfortable with “¦and Mr. Farrell [General Manager of NEVLEC] wants to make sure that whatever price we negotiate when we have a price which we unsell to the consumers too that the consumers are saving money and that NEVLEC is also turning a profit,” he said.

(L-R) USVI Governor and Nevis Premier

Charlestown, Nevis
May 02, 2008

On a visit to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands from April 26 to 29th, 2008, Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph W. Parry, who was a guest of the Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. of the United States Virgin Islands, excited a large gathering at the Governor’s Mansion, when he spoke of a united Caribbean and the harmonization of the region’s resources to effectively compete in the global environment.

Premier Parry said that the government and people of Nevis are very excited at the prospect of having geo-thermal energy. He said that the resource utilized the heat below the earth’s surface to produce power and it was of even greater importance in the face of rising oil prices on the world market, hence the urgent need to seek alternative sources of energy.

“We have been told that Nevis has the potential to hold 900 mega watts of power beneath its surface,” said Premier Parry and he added that, “the Government of Nevis has therefore given a license to a company called West Indies Power Limited to explore for this geo-thermal. I am told it is no longer if, but when we can produce power from this geo-thermal energy.

Nevis Geothermal Energy Drilling Project

Charlestown, Nevis
April 17, 2008

The geothermal exploration project on Nevis received another boost on Thursday April 17, 2008, when Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Sustainable Development, Infrastructure and Technology in the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis Hon. Nigel Carty, gave a commitment that St. Kitts stood ready to purchase renewable energy from Nevis.

The Junior Federal Minister made the disclosure in an interview with the Department of information during his visit to Nevis where he met and held discussions with Junior Minister with responsibility for Works, Public Utilities, Natural Resources and the Environment in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Carlisle Powell along with members of the Nevis Electricity Company Ltd. and West Indies Power Nevis Ltd. the company involved in ongoing geothermal explorations on the island.

“I am prepared to say that the government of St. Kitts and Nevis stands 100 percent behind this operation and stands ready at anytime, to become involved in any power purchase arrangement between West Indies Power and the Federal government of St. Kitts and Nevis,” Mr. Carty said.

The visiting Minister who was accompanied by Director of Physical Planning and the Environment in the Federal Government Mr. Randolph Edmeade, OAS Director to St. Kitts and Nevis Mr. Starett Green and Consultant to the government of St. Kitts and Nevis through an OAS arrangement Dr. Albert Binger, said that he was impressed with the discussions held and operations at the Spring Hill Nevis I drill site.

Geothermal Drilling Not The Cause Of Nevis Earthquakes

Nevis Citizens Poised to Receive Geothermal Training

NEVLEC Will Remain Sole Vendor Of Electricity On Nevis

Nevis Premier Pays Visits To USVI Governor

Federal Government To Purchase Renewable Energy From Nevis