No geothermal plant in Saint Lucia! . . . yet

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] Soufriere native described the last geothermal exploration period there as disastrous for the people of Chateau Belair and Belle Fond some thirty years ago. “That big, loud, whistling sound, seeing things shooting up miles in the air. I would not say it was an explosion but it was something to that effect. People didn’t know what to do and that created panic and fear among the people of Chateu Belair and Belle Fond,” he informed as the alarmed look was reiterated in his countenance.

He continued, “I always wanted to know what transpired. I didn’t hear any report as to what really transpired. I’m hoping that wouldn’t happen again.”

He claimed that the media and the government never addressed it, but now the geothermal talk has resurfaced.

From Monday the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labour sought to continue sensitization of the major national project.

Panorama Environmental, Inc. of San Francisco completed an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for potential geothermal energy exploration in Soufriere in February 2018. The Department of Sustainable Development, within the aforementioned ministry, on Thursday March 15, 2018, hosted its fourth leg of public consultations at the Castries City Hall to explain the findings of the ESIA. Previously, discussions were held in communities in Soufriere which will be directly impacted by any geothermal exploration.

Although consultant Susanne Heim of Panorama Environmental, Inc., along with Aloysiaus Barthelmy who is the local geothermal technical coordinator and Mark Lambrides, a senior energy specialist from World Bank, could not give an in-depth analysis of what actually happened some thirty years ago, they were able to assure the Soufriere resident and other locals in attendance that the present Geothermal Resource Development Project will be safer and all necessary precautions will be made to prevent a similar blow out. By following World Bank regulations to prevent noise pollution and to sustain human and social rights, as well as keeping international standards of maintaining air and water quality, project coordinators promise a better outcome than the last recorded geothermal exploration phase. It was also constantly mentioned by Barthelmy that the last project was handled “by the British” as opposed to the World Bank this time around.

At Thursday’s consultation there was an overview of geothermal energy in Saint Lucia and its potential, delivered by Charlin Bodley, energy officer in the Department of Sustainable Development. It was an effort to explain general misconceptions about the project, as well as to help the public understand what exactly geothermal energy is and how it will contribute to the island’s development.

There was emphasis on the fact that Saint Lucia is only at the phase of geothermal exploration and not actually building a geothermal plant yet. The public was encouraged to take note of the process because there is a difference between exploration and operating an energy plant.

The areas of Fond St Jaques, Belle Plaine and Mondesir-Saltibus are the three identified sites for the exploration phase. Community residents will experience drilling of holes no wider than a 4ft. diameter and all vegetation and landscape will be restored, according to Susanne Heim.

Find out in next week’s STAR how Saint Lucia will afford geothermal exploration of about three slim hole wells per area at approximately U$2.2million per well, how geothermal energy will impact our environment, agriculture and society and why the government is choosing that type of renewable energy.