Smelter will triple TT’s power needs

THE proposed aluminium smelter will triple the amount of electricity used by the country, and will be supplied by a huge new power station. This was revealed in the recent sitting of the Joint Select Committee (JSC), chaired by Independent Senator Parvatee Anmolsingh-Mahabir, looking into the workings of TTEC and other bodies under the Ministry of Public Utilities and Environment. Under questioning by Caroni East MP Ganga Singh, TTEC manager Denis Singh admitted the smelter would hugely increase the consumption of energy in Trinidad and Tobago. While TTEC  presently supplies the country with a total of 200 to 250 megawatts, the aluminium smelter will need 450 megawatts. Ganga Singh asked: “Is there a need for extra power generation related to the proposed aluminium smelter which requires 450 MW?”

Denis Singh replied: “Yes. The reality is that we would be going out for a power plant that would be able to serve TTEC’s needs as well as the needs of the 400 megawatts of which the member spoke. “So it would be a fairly large power station that would cater for both TTEC’s requirement, which is of the order of 200 to 250 megawatts and the needs of the aluminium smelter.” Denis Singh estimated the power plant would cost US$500 million, or over TT$3,000 million. The plant would sell electricity to TTEC. Under questioning he was unable to say whether the plant would be powered by the stream of natural gas which the Government had secured from bpTT in lieu of royalties.

Ganga Singh declared: “Entering into the MOU with the aluminium smelter company, there is an indication from the Government that there is a stream of gas that has been dedicated to provide electricity in lieu of the collection of royalty — certainly it would go towards the production of electricity and the production of aluminium. The power from this generating plant would be used to smelt the alumina to make aluminium. “My concern really is that I do not want the Trinidad and Tobago citizenry to be subsidising the private sector in the production of alumina.” Denis Singh said the demand for electrical power had been growing. He said: “We are at the margins and as we speak we are about to invite tenders for a power project. We hope to get that increased capacity by 2006.”