West Indies Power Archives - Page 6 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.

West Indies Power GM – Mr. Rawlinson Issac

Charlestown, Nevis
August 12, 2008

General Manager of West Indies Power Nevis Ltd. (WIP) M. Rawlinson Isaac, said that the company had every intention to fulfill its promise to the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) and the people of Nevis, to provide cheaper sustainable energy. He praised Premier of Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry for his foresight to allow geothermal explorations to commence on the island.

He made the remark while he officially handed over a gazebo and bus stand at the Five Turnings in Cotton Ground Village to Premier of Nevis and Area Representative Hon. Joseph Parry, at a ceremony on August 08, 2008.

“Our [WIP] intention and we have promised the Premier that we will provide this country with cheap and sustainable electricity, no outages whatsoever. Don’t worry [when] you hear people talking all kinds of nonsense, the resource is here, we are here to extract it to develop that resource, to operate and to produce electricity. There is no mystery about it, it happens all over the world. Iceland is doing it for almost 100 years; Italy, the United States provides about 2,000 mega watts; Russia, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, Taiwan [and] in the Caribbean we have Guadeloupe. So we are saying that we have a tremendous power base here and that we have to extract it for our own utility.

“I want you [Nevisians] to commend and to give really top cheers to the Premier because when we [WIP] approached him about geothermal, although it has been around for quite some time, he had the vision and not only the vision, he also had the courage – because I would imagine all those times people talking about volcano and earthquake if you attempt to drill – to stand up to all those concerns and to give West Indies Power the license to explore,” he said.

Nevis Children Watch Geothermal Presentation

Charlestown, Nevis
July 21, 2008

In a very interactive session with primary school students, Jr. Minister with responsibility for Natural Resources and the Environment in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Carlisle Powell addressed the status of the island’s geothermal project and told them that Nevis stood to benefit financially from it.

This came on July 17, at the Charlestown Secondary School’s Auditorium during the Nevis Public Library’s Annual Environmental Awareness Programme. The participants aged nine to 12 years, were anxious to learn more about the project and asked Minister Powell several questions including whether Nevis would make money from geothermal energy.

“With geothermal energy, once you start selling to the other islands, Nevis will be making monies from royalty. Royalty is just a nice word for a tax. It’s as simple as that and so (from) all the current that is produced and sold; Nevis will be getting a tax and when you sell the electricity outside of St. Kitts and Nevis the tax is going to be higher so you will be making monies from that.

“The second way that Nevis will be making money is that once West Indies Power Limited (WIPL) would have paid off their initial loans then the Government of Nevis will be expecting to get a share of the profits. So that if they are making $200 million a year, Nevis expects to get a fair share of whatever monies they make so yes Nevis will be making more money with geothermal energy,” Minister Powell said and expressed his joy in the participants’ interest.

Nevis 1 Geothermal Drill Site

Charlestown, Nevis
July 08, 2008

Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Social Transformation Hon. Hensley Daniel believes that Nevis’ move toward the use of geothermal energy would not only solidify the island’s economic base to facilitate social and economic transformation but would also solidify the country’s commitment to reduce global warming and contribute to the Green revolution.

His comment came while he gave support to a landmark Bill, the Nevis Geothermal Resources Development Ordinance, 2008, which was passed in the Nevis Island Assembly on July 08, 2008.

“This is a small contribution to the development of renewable energy, a major contribution to conservation. I believe that the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS) will be proud of our [NIA] new efforts and Nevis may just qualify as a green community.

“This marks a paradigm shift away from global warming with the burning of fossil fluids to the use of alternative and renewable energy.

“This is our way of meeting the requirements set out by the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, in which we [Nevis] along with 179 other countries committed ourselves to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide. We will certainly be able to meet emissions targets by 2012,” he said.

Nevis’ Minister Powell Presenting Geothermal Bill

Charlestown, Nevis
July 09, 2008

History making legislation with regard to geothermal resources, the first of its kind in the English speaking Caribbean, was passed in the Nevis Island Assembly in Charlestown, shortly before 7pm on July 08, 2008.

The legislation entitled the Nevis Geothermal Resources Development Ordinance, 2008 was tabled by Jr. Minister with responsibility for Natural Resources Hon Carlisle Powell and would provide for the reconnaissance, exploration, drilling, production and use of geothermal resources; for vesting all such resources in the Crown and to provide for related incidental matters.

While he introduced the Bill, Mr. Powell addressed the matter in context of the history of the science of geothermal, the rising cost of fuel prices and the energy and economic independence that the geothermal resource could offer the people of Nevis.

“This Bill represents the future of Nevis. It represents our independence from energy produced by fossil fuels. It represents our fight for economic independence. It represents the platform for every form of independence for this our Nevis, lovely Nevis,” he said.

He also referred to the Bill as non controversial, among the most important pieces of legislation ever to be debated in Nevis’ Parliament and which represented the hard work and vision of a team of people who were dedicated to making life better for all Nevisians.

Geothermal Drilling Not The Cause Of Nevis Earthquakes

Cheap Geothermal Energy For Nevis From West Indies Power

Nevis Will Make Money From Geothermal, Says Minister

Geothermal Energy Will Lead To A Greener Nevis

Geothermal Development Ordinance Passes In Nevis