Member of Parliament for Roseau Central, Norris Prevost, has described as “reckless” a move by government to borrow almost $25 million dollars which will go towards the Geothermal energy project in the Roseau Valley.
He also made a call to the Government to thoroughly review the geothermal option and consider placing more emphasis on hydro energy.
According to Prevost, although the United Workers Party (UWP) supports cheaper alternative energy for all Dominicans, Parliament must be given a full and independent Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) on both Geothermal and Hydro Energy options in order to determine which is the best energy source for the island.
He suggested that by using the CBA approach, Government will be mandated to inform the people of the country of the best source of energy.
“It is only by fully analyzing and comparing the economic, environmental and social benefits to the country and the people of Dominica, and determining which has the least economic, social and environmental costs, can Government know which is the better option for the country, in order to ensure that Dominica gets the best energy deal,” Prevost argued.
He further noted “We on the UWP side, are asking Government to provide Parliament with a full and independent Cost Benefit Analysis, before we can approve their request to borrow $25-million for Geothermal energy.”
MP Prevost pointed out that Dominica’s energy future must not only be cheaper compared to diesel, but it must be sustainable and carry minimum risks, both in terms of potential disaster and investment risk.
“UWP wants Parliament to do what is best for all the people of Dominica,” Prevost said. “And will always consider and select the best options. Dominica has tremendous hydro potential, and in order to establish our best energy option, it is the solemn duty of Government, before going to the point of no return with Geothermal, to critically analyze and compare the benefits and risks of both Geothermal energy generation and hydro-energy generation, and to fully inform the people and the Parliament.”
The parliament eventually approved the loan.
I kind of agree with him..
is like living in the mall and still wanting ti rent it
Prevost, YOU say it is reckless to borrow 25 million to build a geothermal power plant. I would say it is RECKLESS FOR YOU TO SUGGEST PAYING for an independent study, to prove to YOU what the world already knows!!! Geothermal is better than hydro, hands down. Please crack open a book and read up on it yourself, no need to WASTE TAX PAYER MONEY for your lack of understanding of renewable energies.
Prevost, is that all you can come up with. I think you would have been better off if you had remained silent on that matter.
wokers, jokers God gave us this resource to explore, although we have many rivers we are also blessed with energy, our country is large and charged.
Why is everyone – Government and Prevost ignoring Windpower, which is the Cheapest, most powerful and most reliable and least polluting. This wind; going from east to west has never stopped. The wind is always there. All we have to do is to populate the east coast with windmills and we will have the most abundant and constant source of energy. The only negative is hurricanes that can flatten and destroy the windmills. However we can avoid this damage from hurricane, if in the initial setting up we insert a hinge in the structure so that if there is a threatened hurricane, the windmill can be folded and feathered into a silo-like structure lying on the ground behind the windmill. After the hurricane threat has passed the windmill could be erected again.
Wind is the most unreliable, it takes up a lot more space than both hydro and geothermal and it causes noise pollution as well as its a hazard for our flying friends
And UWP sell Domlec for $21 mil, putting us in this misery of high rates. Geo can go right alongside Hydro. I prefer emphasis on hydro but must consider there has been cries that ‘many’ Rivers are drying or flowing at lower capacity.
So we may end up at this juncture later if not properly planned.
Both need to be explored! Both. So quit going strictly for political points this late, it’s your fault we are here.
I keep reading comments to suggest that if the government owned Domlec, the consumer would be paying less for electricity. For this to happen the government would have to consider these options, (i) from the long term portion of the price of oil the government has to repay Venezuela, it would have to use part of that amount to subsidies the cost of fuel, and this would reduce the government ability to do its social projects(ii)government would have to make provisions in the annual budget to subsidise the price of fuel which would mean reduction in services to Dominicans, (iii) government increase taxes. I am also to assume that if government owned Domlec, consumers would be making request for deferment of electricity payments, account receivables would be very high with likely negative cash flows. Please thinks of these options if your want lower rates.
I sense you are heavily vested in Domlec stock. But you Grason must also face the hard realiization that you pay back to Domlec much of the dividends they pay out to you in form of those exorbitant rates. I strongly suggest doing that kind of calculation as a shareholder, before assuming everyone ought to be able to afford that monster.
Fyi, Gov’t has in the past subsidised electricity to keep it affordable, and it certainly can in the future. You must understand this is very important. Domlec’s high rates are a detterant to much needed foreign investment. Just ask the call-Center management what they pay for running a few phones, you will get it.
We have had Hydro-electricity all our lives. Isn’t time to harness geothermal energy for use. Many countries who have access to geothermal energy are going this way. Stop opposing for opposing sake. it is time that people just move on and let the island develop. This constant negativity at everything called progress is stopping the island from moving on. All inducement should also be given to householders to encourage the use of solar energy. it is a good source of clean energy .
The good old US OF A is looking to get rid of as many dams as possible now we want to build more. Now mr prevost after the cba what’s next. On another note you complain of 25 millon to do hydro what would you say for a couple hundred million to build an international airport.. I’m really trying to understand your logic. 25 million is not much of an investment in the energy sector. What is domlecs profit annually? Would you rather the 25 million be used to subsidize fuel for Domlec or invest in a form of energy that is sustainable. We want everything but don’t want to pay. We all want our red clinic in one form or another. But then again its human nature.
prevost if u self don’t know what u talking about, just come out there eh boy….hydro station power output in dominica is limited, if it was so unlimited why don’t we fully depend on it in dominica? it is not fully sufficient. Geothermal on the other hand is much more efficient, and thereby reliable. the output which can be produced by a geothermal plant of similar size to that of a hydro plant is much much more. ai ya…all-u fellas let d thing just work in d/ca for once na man all u making me vex now man…a whole heap of talk talk talk…and the talk is just nonsense because u guys most times don’t know what u talking about. If u’re talking about fluids producing energy in dominica the best option isn’t hydro, but tidal energy…its output surpasses hydro by a large margin. ai … get ur facts straight. geothermal is a very good choice…maybe the best choice they’ve made since they came into power, lets all support and stop that “crab in the barrel-ism” type of thing…please just for once.
Although we should hear out Prevost, UWP was the one who Sold our only energy company. Now Domlec is private, the people of Dominica suffer with the highest energy unit cost in the Caribbean.
Its always easier to oppose and talk. Every wealth country out there are wealthy because of there resources. Its Time Dominica realize we are blessed with e Resource that has potential to get us out of Poverty.
We as a people can be extremely short cited.
But the study was made public, so let’s hear comments from the report Mr. Prevost. Again I do respect your questions in parliament, its your duty to ask questions and I think the gov.t need to hear you out, but the cards are layer out sir, the odds have been calculated, Geo it is….
If we continue that mentally in Dominica, scared to make a bold step, we will remain power and our population will continue to decrease.
I have a dream, One day, Dominic will be the Caribbean Island that caricom Nationals will seek to immigrate to.
Is the current administration perfect? NO! H NO! but efforts towards a brighter future is evident. I do believe they mess up a lot, but let he who is perfect throw the first stone.
I am to conclude from your comments if the UWP did not sell the government controlling interest in Domlec, the consumers would today enjoying cheaper electricity. Would the government be able to source fuel much cheaper than the current owners of Domlec. BTW, Dominican own 48% of Domlec includig DSS owns 20%.
Marley.
crazys
crazy
The EIA was made public after several calls and protest. How come no talk about it on radio or otherwise? One would expect there would have likes and dislikes, so it seems like all are satisfied that it good to go.
that is exactly the point. Their leverage was the fact that the EIA wasn’t realeased. Now that it is and they realize everything is in order they need to fall back on something else. When the cost/benefit document is released they will start asking for insurance too. smh
blue diabs will do anything to stop progression.. you jokers had us on the blacklist for years. we will never forget that.
The available and ready to use hydro potential of D/a is completely hidden to me. The thing you’ve got is immense rainfall but it has to be captured by damning large valleys to build reservoirs for the hydro station. In the long run the environmental impact will be greater than using the geothermal energy. People have been breathing the gases from the geothermal areas in D/a for centurys and no harm done. Many people live to be a hundred years old despite the gases. The pollution issue of installing a geothermal power station in D/a has completely been blown out of proportion. Do you think anyone will miss the exhaust fumes from the diesel engines or preferres to inhale them instead?
Tremendous hydropotential? I stand corrected but isn t here a study currently underway concerning the level of water in our rivers
Mr.Prevost you are right. Hydro should be further explore and the protection of our rivers should become something of vital importance. Am almost certainly sure that the $25 million dollars could go into capturing our waters in certain areas and channeling it to the appropriate location where it can to use to generate serious energy.
Geo-thermal will destroy that area and knowing how our medical standard and condition we are not prepared for the serious side effects. Is the rise of infant mortality in DA a sign of what to come? Guys, the poison in the air wont be RED or Blue, your sickness wont be just, oh is GASE! Prevost is right, the government needs to come clean and put all the cards/options on the table before this continues. Remember government ministers can be flown out overnight if they fall sick but most of us have to go to PMH and suffer and if God spare us we go on q95 to raise funds to seek medical attention.
Government, listen to wisdom, Prevost is right! Men like Prevost this country needs; he has the masses in mind not self!
I would like to see the hydro potential extended and the rivers protected at the same time. It is like eating the chicken and still hoping for more eggs.
Expert! You should be awarded the TROLL award!!
Same ppl who said the stadium is a dream and never will happen is the same dirtbaggs buying out the party stands smh…
people of dominica i would think that you all gos to school and should get the message by now its not about life in dominica its about money and how long people can stay in power so who dont like it find some where to go and live its money talk this days its not how long you live take are look no one care its just talk and more talk i see in d/a
PREVOST is wrong!
Well give God 25million for rain.And sit down,
4U2C
Here they go again.
But what about wind energy??? It’s clean and can be harnessed just as well as geothermal energy. Govt please please please look into this.
We can export the Geothermal Energy, have you considered that advantage??
Why not do geo since Dominica is the most volcanic island in the Caribbean n make some money off this then do wind? Time for ppl to invest in solar panels n install on yall roof tops. Harness the sun use that energy during the night and during the day while it charges up use the geo
Dominicans cannot afford the food on their tables, and you think rooftop solar panels will be affordable? Heck no! People in developed countries can not even afford those overprices panels.
for wind turbines you are also talking about mass deforestation, you need to consider high frequency and low frequency noise generated from the turbines, those close to the oceans interfere with whale migratory patterns. We are talking beached whales, then you will be the same one to talk about how that damaging tourism sector. I feel that many of you need to do your research before commenting. One might say that i have not done mine, but show me yours and i will show you mine.
Another issue that people fail to consider is the storage of electricity from solar and wind. These batteries are very expensive and not very environmentally friendly. There is a reason why oil had been so dominant in the energy sector all these years. It has been easy to store and the energy has been easy to extract when it it’s desired. wind and solar have yet to achieve such efficiency at this point to maintain sustainable national power grids. At this ping in human development and industry the forms that offer the closest and probably even more than oil are nuclear, geothermal and hydro plants. Nuclear would not be a viable option. We have tried hydro and it has yet to live up to expectations. The force and size off our rivers limit the amount of energy we are able to produce and then there will be complaints of the destruction of the cray fish and crabs that are no longer able to enjoy their natural habitat. That leaves geothermal as possibly the best option. But i honestly believe that there will be a constant shifting out the goal post even it Congress to this project. A CBA is needed but it won’t satisfy the critics just as the EIA did not even before they read it there were complaints that it was rigged in favor of the government. We need to let this destructive politics go and work to develop our country.
Mr. Prevost, with all due respect to you Sir, its time to RETIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come Prevost, I mean seriously what more signs do we need to see that our rivers are not what they use to be, a recount now probably would give us a river for every week. As much as I am for more information on the Geothermal energy, I don’t see Hydro as an alternative, unless of course we can and will discover new lakes and water sources to compliment Hydro and of course there is the flip side of updating infrastructure and hardware to the same effect. Geo……. seems the way forward @ this time.
Prevost said “We on the UWP side, are asking Government to provide Parliament with a full and independent Cost Benefit Analysis, before we can approve their request to borrow $24-million for Geothermal energy.”
But mister have jokes eh. Did he say they need a CBA before they can APPROVE the project? How tell mister Skerrit looking for his approval?
Is Prevost living in lala land…he has been a parliamentarian for long enough and a protegee of the guys at Domlec to have know that they hydro has reached its max…we can’t do more with it.
What is Prevost really saying…I want to oppose just because I can
those boys hungry hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm