Jamaica breaks ground on 37-MW solar plant

The construction works on a 37-MW photovoltaic (PV) plant in Jamaica started on Wednesday, according to local media reports.

Located in Paradise Park, Westmoreland parish, the PV plant is being developed by Eight Rivers Energy Co Ltd (EREC). The total investment would be around USD 60 million (EUR 50.7m).

At the ground breaking ceremony, Jamaica's energy minister, Andrew Wheatley, said the facility will offer the lowest prices in the region at USD 8.53 per kWh.

Dubbed as the largest PV plant in the Caribbean, Paraside Park should commence operations by December 2018 and allow the country to save about 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually. It will also have a 20-year life, in which it can help Jamaica save approximately USD 250 million in oil purchases.

EREC is controlled by French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen and Rekamniar Frontier Ventures.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.846)

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