St. Lucia Enters Agreement to Develop and Export Geothermal Power

The government of St. Lucia has signed an agreement with a U.S.-based company to develop a series of geothermal plants they say will produce more than 120 megawatts of electricity, with plans to export much of that energy capacity within five years. The Caribbean island nation, located on the volcanic arc of the Small Antilles and home to about 175,000 people, has granted Qualibou Energy Inc. exclusive rights to develop geothermal resources that officials say will generate 12 megawatts of electricity within two years and, by 2015, would be expanded to about 120 megawatts. One-third of that total capacity would go directly to St. Lucia’s electricity grid, while the remaining capacity — about 80 megawatts — would be exported to the neighboring island of Martinique via a 30-mile underwater cable. While most Caribbean nations currently import their energy — primarily in the form of petroleum from Mexico and Venezuela — the region’s leaders have expressed concern that rising prices could threaten the island economies.