KINGSTON, Jamaica– The Jamaica government says the Mona Reservoir Floating Solar Project in St. Andrew, southeast of the capital, is expected to generate approximately one billion dollars (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) in annual savings for the National Water Commission (NWC).
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, said the savings should be realized from the pending finalization of wheeling rates.
Wheeling is the transmission of electric energy, measured in megawatt-hours (MWh), from within an electrical grid to an electrical load outside the grid boundaries.
Samuda said pending finalization of the rates, “the NWC should, conservatively, see a reduction in the… overall energy cost per kilowatt hour (KWh) of 30 percent of [the] current rate of approximately US$0.38/KWh, as at August 2022.
“The NWC will be wheeling five-megawatt… of… power to other NWC-qualified facilities under the wheeling regime between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. The projected savings, conservatively, is approximately $1 billion a year,” Samuda said, noting that the savings will improve critical infrastructure and address supply issues.
They said the NWC would power 100 percent of the operations at the Mona treatment plant, utilizing the new solar facility.
“This will result in savings, at today’s energy cost, of approximately $35 million at that facility annually,” he said, noting that the NWC will receive payments of US$25,000 for leasing out the 100 acres of water surface plus four acres of land for the installation of inverters, battery storage, and grid stability equipment.
Other benefits under the initiative include decreased evaporation losses from the reservoir’s surface, reduced need to treat algae buildup, and de-silting capacity gains.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness officially launched the Mona Reservoir Floating Solar Project pilot in September.
Dillion Energy Jamaica Limited (DEJL) has partnered with the Aten Group and REIL Energy Investments Limited (REIL) to execute the project, which has a total capital expenditure/investment of US$62.3 million.
Samuda said the pilot phase, which generates approximately 50 KWh, has resulted in a 31 percent reduction in energy consumption at the Mona treatment plant for July 2022, over May’s out-turn.
He said the NWC has a network of more than 730 facilities that consume over 17 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity monthly at an average cost of J$650 million.
“Increases in oil prices earlier this year triggered spikes in electricity bills, with monthly costs surpassing one billion dollars for the first time. Energy is one of the most important pillars of water production and distribution.”
Samuda said against this background; the initiative is an example of the Government leading the way in implementing a strategic project that will generate clean energy, which is resilient and climate adaptive.
and then 
