Geothermal exploration began in Dominica today after the Government of Dominica and West Indies Power (Dominica) Ltd (WIPD) signed a Geothermal Resources Exploration and Development Agreement yesterday.

The exploration work has the objective of finding locations from which the geothermal resources can be drilled. Initial drilling is planned to begin the first quarter of 2009 and electricity production is planned for the last quarter of 2010.

The agreement grants WIPD the rights to explore for and develop the geothermal resources located in the south of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

At the agreement signing ceremony, representing the Government of Dominica were the Prime Minister, Honorable Roosevelt Skeritt; acting Minister of Agriculture, Honorable Ambrose George and attending on behalf of West Indies Power (Dominica) Ltd were Gregory de Gannes, Chairman and Dmitrijus Apokinas, CFO.

Prime Minister Skeritt addressed the ceremony stating that the development of geothermal power will bring benefits both to the economy and the people of Dominica and appealed to the people of the island to support the project.

Speaking at the ceremony, WIPD CFO Apokinas highlighted a report by the World Bank in 2006, where geothermal power generation was ranked as the “number one energy independency option for the Caribbean, above all other renewable sources of energy like wind and solar, not even mentioning technologies which use fossil fuels". “It is time, ladies and gentleman, for Dominica to explore its natural resources and gain a competitive advantage in today’s global markets”, he concluded.

Contact: Kerry Mcdonald 
Phone: 1-869-662-4032
E-mail: k.mcdonald@westindiespower.com

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