The Government of Saint Lucia (GoSL) convenes its third public consultation for its geothermal project today, where high-level representatives from the Department of Sustainable Development are expected to make informative presentations of the plans of the GoSL for geothermal exploration.
The exploratory phase of the project continues with the next crucial steps being the completion of an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) which entails a preliminary assessment of environmental and social impacts associated with the project. Also, included in the immediate next steps is a pre-feasibility assessment which entails initial financial, economic, legal and power systems evaluations.
The GOSL has received financial assistance and support from the World Bank (WB), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Government of New Zealand, (GoNZ), and the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), to complete the surface exploratory phase of the project.
This assessment will provide informed recommendations to the Government on proceeding to the next stage of the geothermal programme.
The consultation is scheduled to take place on April 11th 2017, between 9:00 am and 12:30 pm at the Leisure Inn Conference Room, in Soufriere. The consultation is opened to key stakeholders and community members in the town of Soufriere and Choiseul where the geothermal resource is located.
