The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) plans to expand its Bogue plant by 100 megawatts (MW) and convert it into a natural gas burning plant.

"JPS is in advanced negotiations for the conversion of the Bogue generating plant to use compressed natural gas (CNG) and to increase the capacity of the plant from 200 MW to 300 MW," said prime minister Bruce Golding yesterday in his budget presentation to parliament.

JPS headquarters

The move by the island's sole distributor of electricity ties in with the Jamaican government's plan to enter a long-term contract with Venzuela in which the south American country will supply natural gas.
"Last month, a technical team from Venezuela was in the island to discuss a long-term contract for the supply of natural gas to Jamaica," said the PM. "Venezuela has the second largest reserve of natural gas in the Western Hemisphere and is developing the facilities to extract it. These discussions are continuing and the Minister will speak to this in the sectoral debate."

According to Golding, the long-term plan to reduce the country's dependence on oil will be centred around the used of natural gas and coal.

The use of coal is being considered by alumina companies which are the largest users of oil in Jamaica.

"Some alumina interests are actively considering the use of coal with the possibility that surplus power would be available for sale to the national grid," added Golding. "We are assured of long-term availability of coal from Columbia. The government would be supportive of such a decision provided the appropriate technology is in place to safeguard the environment."

Over the long-term government plans to satisfy 15 per cent of energy requirement using renewable sources (see related story on page 3) and the Office of the Utilities REgulations and the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica are currently seeking investors to invest in renewables.

At the same time, the upgrading of the Petrojam refinery, which is due to commence next year, will enable the use of petcoke to generate 100MW of electricity by 2012.

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