Haiti signs contract with Alstom-Comelex to refurbish its principal hydro plant
- February 16, 2012
- Posted by: AmCham Haiti
- Category: News
February 10, 2012 – News ReleasesThree-year project funded by IDB, Germany’s KfW, OFID PORT-AU-PRINCE – The government of Haiti today signed a contract with the French consortium Alstom-Comelex to restore the Péligre hydroelectric plant, the country’s principal renewable energy source. The Inter-American Development Bank, the German development finance agency KfW and OFID, OPEC’s fund for international development, are providing the funds to finance the three-year, $48.8 million rehabilitation contract. The contract was signed by Public Works Minister Jacques Rousseau, Finance Minister André Georges, Électricité d’Haïti Director General Gary Valdemar and Alstom managers Olivier Richer and Marc-Antoine Blond at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance. Under the project, Péligre will recover its original 54 MW installed generation capacity by overhauling its three turbines and modernizing its electromechanical equipment and control systems. At present the 40-year-old plant operates at a fraction of its potential, forcing Haiti to rely on thermal generators that run on expensive imported fossil fuels. At the same time as it restores Péligre’s generation capacity, state utility EdH will carry out investments to upgrade the power transmission line connecting the hydroelectric plant with Port-au-Prince as well the capital’s electricity distribution network. The IDB is supporting such investments with grants totaling $32 million. In addition, in partnership with the World Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Aid, the IDB is supporting a program to modernize EdH’s technical, financial and commercial management. For more info: Press Contact: Peter Bate |
