ENERGY Minister Stuart Young says he intends to propose a new solar project for the country to Cabinet soon.
“I intend to go to Cabinet shortly, with a proposed request for proposals for another utility scale solar project as we continue to build our renewable resources and energy sector,” Young said.
Young made the statement yesterday during the closing ceremony for the 2023/2024 Shallow Water Competitive Bidding Round which took place at the Ministry of Energy’s head office at Tower C of the International Waterfront Centre on Wrightson Road.
Young’s statement comes on the heels of an Express Business exclusive, which reported that gunmen had stormed the proposed site of the Brechin Castle Solar Farm, resulting in work being stopped for two months.
Contacted for comment following the article, Young last week told TV6:
“I did have conversations with the Minister of National Security and persons responsible for security at the site and a number of arrangements have been put in place.”
“I was informed by the shareholders of this nationally important utility scale solar project that unfortunately the criminal element threatened workers at the site and works had to be temporarily stopped.”
In April 2023, the sod was turned for Project Lara, Trinidad and Tobago’s first industrial-scale solar farm project, which aims to add 112 megawatts (MW) of solar generation to the country’s energy grid.
The project was to be located on two sites, Brechin Castle in Couva, and Orange Grove, Tacarigua.
Project Lara is a joint venture comprised of multi-national energy giants bp Alternative Energy Trinidad and Tobago (bpATT) and Shell Renewables Caribbean, and specialist solar energy company Lightsource bp.
The National Gas Company (NGC) is also a 30% equity investor in the project.
However in January, president of bpTT David Campbell confirmed to Express Business that construction of the proposed solar farm at Orange Grove would not proceed as planned as the Cabinet had decided to use the land for another purpose.
With this change, Young said that the government was assessing whether the site at Brechin Castle could be further expanded as part of this country’s solar generation efforts.
This was before the Brechin Castle site was stormed by gunmen.
Young did not give any further information about the proposed solar site he intends to take to Cabinet.
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