Nevis Government Hosts Renewable Energy Workshop

Minister Carlisle Powell

Minister Carlisle Powell

Charlestown, Nevis
November 6, 2008

It was important that teachers learnt improved techniques to help them to spread the gospel of renewable energy. Junior Minister with responsibility for Public Utilities, Natural Resources and the Environment on Nevis Hon. Carlisle Powell echoed the sentiment when he delivered the keynote address at the start of a one day workshop for Science teachers in the Federation, on Thursday November 06 at the Mount Nevis Hotel conference room.

The workshop was sponsored by Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization in collaboration with Cariscience and the Nevis Island Administration. The title of the workshop was Relevant Renewable Energy Resources and Technologies-Training Teachers.

The Minister said the NIA took the initiative to educate the teachers in the area of renewable energy, after the University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus had taken the decision that the population of the Caribbean needed to be educated on the idea of alternative energy sources and the use of teachers was generally accepted to spread the message.

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Geothermal Drilling Not The Cause Of Nevis Earthquakes

West Indies Power CEO - Kerry McDonald

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.

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Nevis Citizens Poised to Receive Geothermal Training

University of Iceland Geothermal Training Board

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.

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NEVLEC Will Remain Sole Vendor Of Electricity On Nevis

Nevis Minister - Carlisle Powell

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.

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Nevis Premier Pays Visits To USVI Governor

USVI Governor and Nevis Premier

(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.

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