Anegada renewable energy plant is 40% complete

Despite significant delays and doubts about its completion, the Anegada Renewable Energy & Battery Storage plant is 40 percent complete and is set to come online some time in 2024.

That’s the assurance given by BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) Deputy General Manager Symorne Penn, who gave an update on the historic project in a recent interview with 284 Media.

“We had significant delays around the time of COVID-19 [which caused] price increases. However, following that disruption to the project, we have been steadily on schedule to complete the project in the third and fourth quarter of 2024. We also had a small challenge on BVIEC’s side with our existing generators in Anegada. However, we only expect a slight delay in our project and it is still expected to be completed in 2024,” Penn explained.

Work on the Anegada Renewable Energy & Battery Storage plant started in January of this year, but due to lengthy pauses, many people, including legislators, have been asking if the plans for the historic renewable energy plant have been abandoned.

Penn explained that the project is still on budget for $4,687,944.72 and is still been led by US-based solar energy company Power52. She said in recent weeks, the batteries that will form a significant part of the plant were brought to the site and added that BVIEC expects no further delays with the project.

The Anegada Renewable Energy & Battery Storage plant will be the first of its kind in the BVI and will have the capacity to supply some 2.9 megawatts of energy. It is expected to result in cheaper energy costs for Anegadians and relieve the BVIEC of the costs it pays to absorb energy costs for Anegada.

In addition to cutting energy costs, the government said Anegada was chosen for the first renewable energy project in the territory because the island’s topography was suitable.