RAY

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) says it is actively pursuing the conversion of a combined cycle plant at its Montego Bay Bogue power station to compressed natural gas (CNG) by 2011.

The plant will reduce the country's heavy dependence on foreign oil, vulnerable to erratic price swings, the company's director of external affairs, Frank Ray, said at the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) annual general meeting at the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall in Montego Bay Monday.

Currently, the country needs approximately 20,000 barrels of oil each day to meet its electricity needs.

Other significant benefits from conversion to CNG includes reduced emissions, improved air quality in tourist areas and the opportunity for valuable, tradable carbon credits.

The actual value of savings, however, will depend on the average price of the oil that the CNG is replacing - the higher the price of oil, the greater the savings to customers, the company's head of corporate communications, Winsome Callum, told The Gleaner.

CNG is just one of the 21st-century projects that the JPS has commenced work on. Ray announced two renewable power projects in St Elizabeth - a 6.3MW hydroelectricity power plant in Maggotty and a 3MW wind farm in Munro.

"The existing hydroelectricity plant in Maggotty now accounts for 6MW, or 30 per cent of the island's hydropower," explained Ray, adding that the planned expansion would see a doubling of the capacity of this hydro plant at a cost of $2.3 billion, representing power to 2,400 homes.

The wind farm in Munro would be the first project of its kind to be implemented by the JPS. At a cost of $1.1 billion for the 3MW turbine, the company said it was exploring another wind project in Harbour View in Kingston.

Together, these wind turbines would power another 750 homes.

Reiterating his company's commitment to fuel diversification, Ray said the JPS would spend $9 billion every year for the next five years on improving electricity supply.

Reduced outages

"This will be accomplished by improved network connectivity; improved availability of generation units and expansion of live-line operations - that is, carrying out work on live electricity lines," he promised.

He added that this should result in a reduced number of outages and faster response time where these incidents occurred.

Turning specifically to the hotel and tourism sector, the JPS official encouraged the group to obtain the services of an energy auditor "to help you more effectively and efficiently use power in your businesses".

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com