ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and St Kitts and Nevis are expected to benefit from a three-day study tour of Dominica’s geothermal energy project as part of the efforts to foster regional cooperation and collaboration within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on geothermal energy.

A statement issued by the St Lucia-based OECS Commission said that the study tour last week was organised by the OECS Geothermal Energy Capacity Building for Utilisation, Investment and Local Development (OECS-Geobuild) Programme in collaboration with the Dominica Geothermal Development Company Limited (DGDC).

It said that the tour is in keeping with the mandate of Geobuild to provide specialised advisory support, analyses, and capacity-building for geothermal energy development based on critical needs to advance relevant project initiatives in beneficiary countries.

According to the OECS Commission, the objectives of the study tour were to obtain a practical understanding of delivering a drilling programme in the Eastern Caribbean, including preparation activities, civil works requirements, public awareness and information, and safety and environmental safeguards as well as identify lessons learnt by the Dominica drilling team for the implementation of the geothermal exploration and drilling phase.

It said beneficiary member states of the study tour include Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and St Kitts and Nevis and that the three-day event allowed for a visit to Laudat, where the current geothermal development activities are taking place in Dominica.

The commission said that a detailed presentation was made on the Roseau Valley Geothermal Development Project, which was followed by a tour to the sites of three production wells and the drilling site for a reinjection well.

Participants had the opportunity to observe the preparation for the flow test of one of the production wells, RV-P2, which was drilled in 2022, with a total drilling depth of 1,378 metres. On the final day of the study tour they further engaged key members of the DGDC team for discussions on the outcomes of the exploration and drilling programme in Dominica.

The commission said that Geobuild is designed to respond to the needs of participating OECS member states for advancing geothermal energy development.

It said the project will facilitate collaboration on geothermal energy not only with the beneficiary countries but also with other regional countries that have an interest in exploring geothermal resources.

“The interventions have been designed to address the gaps and requests identified and presented by the key geothermal actors at various consultations at the regional level. The project is consistent with the overall aim of the OECS to promote cooperation among the member states at the regional and international levels.”

Geobuild is funded by the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) with a grant of US$3.1 million and support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the European Union Caribbean Investment Facility.

The project will also coordinate and support improved use of existing geothermal capacity in the region and Geobuild will directly benefit the five eligible OECS member states, namely Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.