Work at the new LNG Power Plant is on target as the government hopes to bring the plant into commission by the end of July.

The Antigua Public Utilities Authority took the media fraternity on a walk-through of the facility today Tuesday,

This new plant will add 40 MW of power to the available capacity.

The construction of the plant is part of a further expansion of the infrastructure for the APUA’s Electricity Business Unit.

Melford Nicholas, the newly appointed APUA minister said the project marks a change in the government’s approach toward its energy needs

“As the new minister, I am happy that our partners are bringing this project together. The fact that we are looking at expanding energy capacity in the country, this [the project] would lend itself towards further ongoing development. We would expect to see further expansion in tourism, housing…this is a timely project,” Nicholas said.

The technology group Wärtsilä has been awarded the contract to supply and install a 46 MW dual-fuel power plant on the Caribbean Island of Antigua.

The engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) orders were placed by Antigua Power Company Limited (APCL), an independent power producer. The order was entered into Wärtsilä’s order book in January 2022. The plant will operate primarily on regasified liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The project combines a power plant and an LNG gas terminal, storage, and regasification facility.

APCL won the bid for this project on an international tender held by the tender board of Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA).

The LNG gas terminal project is being developed by U.S.-based Eagle LNG in equal partnership with APCL, with APUA as the gas purchaser.

The project involves the installation of a small-scale LNG storage and regasification terminal which will supply the fuel for the new power plant.