ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Sept 20, CMC – The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) Friday said it had granted licenses to the investors of the Small-Scale Independent Power Producers (SSIPP) pilot project.
It said the eight investors were granted licenses to commence the generation of renewable energy from their solar facilities, marking a key milestone in advancing Grenada’s energy sector, and, by extension, the PURC’s renewable energy mandate.
The PURC launched its pilot SSIPP programme in 2021, allowing for investments in the renewable energy sector. This programme sought greater penetration of green energy into Grenada’s national grid, which will be facilitated by the Grenada Electricity Services Limited (GRENLEC).
“The programme took quite a while because we had to develop a rigorous regulatory framework for a successful introduction. This programme is intended to give power producers in Grenada the ability to own solar plants to produce renewable energy that they can then sold to GRENLEC,” said PURC chief executive officer, Andrew Millet.
“Most of Grenada’s energy is produced from thermal generator plants, and over one hundred and fifty million dollars are spent on fuel for these generators annually. We intend to reduce this significantly in the coming years by having more solar plants installed. This is just the beginning with this pilot, the Small-Scale Independent Power Producers programme,” he added.
The PURC said that investors must submit Request for Proposal (RFP) for the second iteration of the SSIPP Programme by October 10 this year and that selected bidders will be notified, and the documented procedures for granting generation licenses will be followed. It said once approved and distributed to the relevant licensees, GRENLEC and each licensee will sign Power Purchase Agreements.
“On behalf of GRENLEC, we are very pleased to be at this point where we can sign the Power Purchase Agreements. When it comes to renewable energy, we started way back in 2007; we were one of the first utilities in the region to have small householders with their PVs interconnected to the national grid,” said GRENLEC’s acting general manager, Clive Hosten.
“However, it is important to understand that while we are extremely interested and we are pro-renewables, we do have to look at this holistically as we are the ones operating the grid. Thus, we must ensure that we have reliable electricity for all our customers”, Hosten added.
The Public Utility Regulatory Commission’s Small-Scale Independent Power Producers programme sets the stage for further advancements in Grenada’s renewable energy landscape, fostering greater independence in energy generation and contributing to larger climate goals.
“As Grenada advances towards a sustainable energy future, the Commission, through its SSIPP programme, remains dedicated to increasing renewable energy awareness and usage to aid the reduction of carbon emissions across the tri-island state,” it added.
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