5 Fast Facts About the RESDP

What?

The Renewable Energy Sector Development Project (RESDP) will explore the viability of Saint Lucia’s geothermal resources and strengthen the enabling environment for a renewable energy sector, through drilling of three exploratory slim hole wells and technical assistance involving support for legislative reform, capacity building through a Scholarship and Apprenticeship Programme, private and public sector engagement, direct use application study, and advisory services and market sounding.

Who?

The RESDP is being implemented by the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Transport, and funded by the World Bank; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Canada Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility, Clean Technology Fund and Government of Saint Lucia.

Where?

Exploratory drilling will take place in

Belvedere, Fond St. Jacques, Soufriere;
Belle Plaine, Soufriere;
Saltibus, Laborie.

When?

The RESDP is a four-year project.
It commenced in 2022 and will be completed in 2026.

Why?

Electricity prices in Saint Lucia are a key input of economic competitiveness and growth. While electricity is supplied reliably, the country remains almost completely dependent on imported fuels for diesel-based generation, resulting in a negative impact on the balance of trade, high electricity tariffs, and exposure to volatile global fuel market prices. An indigenous supply of clean energy for electricity generation would have a positive impact on Saint Lucia’s sustainable development. It would also help Saint Lucia fulfill its pledge to reduce carbon emissions. For more information please visit the Frequently Asked Questions.

The RESDP is a US$ 21.852 million project consisting of two components:

COMPONENT 1 EXPLORATION DRILLING PROGRAM

Objective: Explore geothermal exploration drilling to determine the viability of building a results-determined geothermal power plant. This Component entails the following:

Exploration Management: through the services of an Exploration Management Consultant (EMC), procure and oversee the drilling program on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia and provide day-to-day supervision of civil works and drilling. The EMC will inter alia:

Review the findings from the Pre-feasibility study prepared under the predecessor project and make a final recommendation for the drilling program design, including inter alia drilling locations, targets and well pads as well as prepare an Interim Resource Capacity Report summarizing the expected potential capacity of a future geothermal power plant, infrastructure works design, and well testing protocols

Prepare an Interim Resource Capacity Report summarizing the expected potential capacity of a future geothermal power plant in line with UNFC code

Support the PIU to update and redisclose the Project’s safeguard documentation based on the final drilling design, including inter alia updates to the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), obtaining clearance for archeological and biological resource protection with updates to the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) if needed

Support the PIU to obtain any necessary environmental and other permits

Provide technical and procurement support to the PIU to prepare the terms of reference (ToRs) for the drilling contractor and infrastructure works and the associated bidding documents

Supervise all infrastructure and drilling works

Convene stakeholders to guide the implementation of the drilling program, making any changes necessary to the program design during implementation

Review the daily drilling reports from the drilling contractor and conduct well testing,

Prepare the final Drilling Report summarizing the results for each well based on the well testing and drilling

Prepare a final Resource Capacity Report based on the findings of the drilling program, and

prepare a Interim Feasibility Study on the expected commercial viability of the geothermal resource for power production

Exploration Drilling: this will comprise the drilling rig and integrated drilling services, civil and infrastructure works, and shared infrastructure to facilitate the integration of renewable energy in Saint Lucia’s power system. It comprises

A Drilling program utilising the services of a drilling contractor to undertake drilling activities of three or four slim-holes wells at a depth approximately 2,000 meters to confirm the existence and characteristics of geothermal resource. The proposed locations for the wells have been identified in the Pre-Feasibility Report and the targets, well pads and final site selection will be completed by the EMC. A Resource Capacity Report and the Interim Feasibility report prepared by the EMC will provide results to be compared against pre-defined technical indicators, at the end of drilling and testing of all wells. The reports will be finalized by the EMC.

Drilling infrastructure works-this component entails drilling infrastructure works (access roads, well pads, water supply, etc.) required for the drilling program. The contractor will be retained on site during the drilling activities in order to provide site and road maintenance etc., as required. The infrastructure contractor is also required to provide major well testing equipment such as piping and test separator, and to assist the EMC in the well testing program by erecting and dismantling the test set-up. The scope, location and costs of these investments have been pre-identified in the Pre-Feasibility Report and will be detailed designed by the EMC. Access to land required to conduct the drilling program, including the cost of any land leasing and/or acquisition required for the drilling program, will be borne by the Government of Saint.

COMPONENT 2 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) PROGRAM

Providing project implementation support to the RESDP Project Implementation Unit (PIU) which provides overall project management and technical inputs on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia and is responsible for safeguards, procurement, financial management services, as well as monitoring and evaluation. This Sub-component will finance:

the recruitment costs for PIU staff, and

operational costs related to the establishment and operations of the PIU

Support the PIU to obtain any necessary environmental and other permits

Technical assistance and market engagement. The Project will support technical assistance, local capacity building and help prepare the market conditions for private sector investment in geothermal and other forms of clean energy, as well as support the Project’s gender integration activities. Activities planned include:

support to improve the legislative and regulatory framework of the energy sector, including to facilitate the integration of geothermal energy,

stakeholder consultations, communications and public awareness support,

advisory services and market sounding related to the future commercial development of geothermal resources,

capacity building for key stakeholders, including PIU,DIPE/MIPTPDUR, and NURC on topics associated with geothermal and renewable energy development

educational, training and employment opportunities for women in the energy sector; and

market studies, analysis, and community education on the potential for direct use applications of geothermal resources. Additional activities may be identified during project implementation.

Funding Sources

US $3.83M

credit from World Bank IDA

US $4.2M

grant from UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

US $1.0M

support from The Government of Saint Lucia for land acquisition

US $3.7M

Concession from loan from Canadian Clean Energy and Forest Climate Faclity

US $0.55M

gender grant

US $8.57M

contingent recovery grant from the Clean Technology Fund

Why Explore for Geothermal Energy and NOT Solar and Wind, Only

The Government of Saint Lucia is pursuing a holistic energy transition which is built on three pillars: reliability, cost effectiveness and energy independence. To achieve this, a robust mix of indigenous energy resources is required. Geothermal plays a critical role in this mix because unlike solar and wind it provides an uninterruptable supply of energy 24 hours a day because its production does not depend on climatic conditions.

Geothermal energy also ensures that a greater percentage of electricity generation can be from indigenous renewable energy sources - 75% as compared to 39% without geothermal. By adding geothermal energy to the mix, it reduces the land needed for renewable energy implementation by reducing the amount of solar, wind and batteries required. The land requirements for a similarly sized plant are less for a geothermal plant than for solar and wind. Advantages of Geothermal Energy. Solar, Wind, Storage and Geothermal together are a pathway to a reliable, cost effective and independent power supply for Saint Lucia.

Belle Plaine

One well is earmarked for the Belle Plaine area. It is within the Qualibou depression, where the land is almost flat, is easily accessible, is sparsely farmed, and is close to the existing power grid.

Upper Saltibus (S5)

One well is planned for the northern-eastern part of the Saltibus, in an area commonly called A La Cle. It is outside the depression but in the heart of the geophysical anomaly which was the leading factor for the identification of priority areas. It may serve to indicate the extent of the geothermal reservoir in the southern-eastern sector of priority area.

Belvedere

One well is to be drilled in Belvedere, Fond St. Jacques. It is the easternmost site, is within the depression, overlies a part of the low resistivity anomaly, but is logistically challenging due to topographic and population constraints. It may serve, however, to indicate the extent of the reservoir that might be accessed for production purposes by directional drilling from Belle Plaine.

Project Milestones

Exploration Management Company contracted

June 2023

Development Control Authority application approved

April 2024

Land purchases completed and/or leases signed

November 2024

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment approved

December 2024

Civil works contracted

January 2025

Drilling works contracted

January 2025

3 wells drilled and tested

June 2026

Final Reports submitted

September 2026

June 2023

Exploration Management Company contracted

April 2024

Development Control Authority application approved

November 2024

Land purchases completed and/or leases signed

December 2024

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment approved

January 2025

Civil works contracted

January 2025

Drilling works contracted

June 2026

3 wells drilled and tested

September 2026

Final Reports submitted

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Meet the Project Implementation Unit

Dr. Ken Aldonza

Project Manager

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Dominic Alexander

Social Development and Safeguards Officer

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Servina Gustave Hypolite

Financial Management Officer

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Windia Jaunai

Community Liaison Officer

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Al Barthelmy

Technical Coordinator

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Kensley Promesse

Procurement and Contracts Management Officer

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Michael Gaspard Andrew

Environmental Safeguards Officer

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Kirdisia Philgence

Administrative Assistant

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The PIU is provided with technical support by an Exploration Management Company, ELC Electroconsult SpA out of Milan, Italy. During the implementation of the project, the PIU will hire additional staff as required.