Tobago to get $250M power plant

TOBAGO is getting a $250 million electrical power generating plant. This was revealed by Public Utilities and Environment Minister Pennelope Beckles when she visited the island Wednesday for the formal launch of the ‘Quality of Service Standards for the Electricity Transmission and Distribution Sector’ by the Regulated Industries Commission (RIC) at Rovanel’s Resort, Crown Point. TTEC acting general manager Indarjit Singh, who also addressed the function, confirmed that plans were on the drawing board for the new Tobago Power Station. Singh reported that over the last few years TTEC had installed two new 5.5 megawatts diesel-operated generating units bringing the installed electricity generating capacity in Tobago to 22 megawatts.

He said these units can easily be converted to operate on natural gas. Singh added that a 25 megawatt submarine cable had been installed, and this brought the cable capacity into Tobago to 40 megawatts. The acting general manager explained that TTEC had plans to strengthen and upgrade its transmission and sub transmission systems, which would be executed over the next few years. “To list two of the important ones, we are planning to extend the 132kV system into Port-of-Spain to reinforce the supply to the city of Port-of-Spain, and we have plans to install a new power station in Tobago,” he said.  He said TTEC will endeavour to surpass the performance standards set out by the RIC. “I also assure you that professionalism, accountability, proaction, integrity, and a thinking environment, will be the hallmarks of this organisation’s performance in the years to come.”