In a historic move this morning (September 18), three entities signed 20-year Power Purchase Agreements with JPS to sell 78 MW of renewable energy to the national grid.  The organizations are BMR Jamaica Wind Ltd., Wigton Wind Farm and WRB Enterprises/Content Solar Ltd.  The investment in the local renewable energy market, stands at US$196M.  The power generating companies were also presented with licences from Minister of Energy, Hon. Phillip Paulwell.

BMR Wind Jamaica will be building a 34MW wind project, roughly 3km south of Malvern, St. Elizabeth, at a cost of US$90M.  Wigton Wind Farm will be investing US$46M in erecting its 3rd wind facility in Southern Manchester, which will generate 24MW of energy.  While WRB Enterprises, through Content Solar Ltd., will be investing US$60M to build a solar plant in Content Village, Clarendon, to deliver 20MW of solar power to the national grid.  The three renewable projects together are expected to create roughly 300 new jobs during their construction phases, which are scheduled for completion by the end of 2015.

Speaking at the signing ceremony and licence presentation, Minister of Energy, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, thanked investors for their confidence in Jamaica, evidenced by their willingness to invest significant funds into the development of the local plants.

Also addressing the gathering, President & CEO of JPS, Kelly Tomblin, noted that the partnerships were an important development on the road to real energy freedom for the consumer.  She pointed out that as long as the country remained over 95% dependent on foreign oil, consumers could never really be free.  This move toward increased diversity and by extension energy security, she stressed, would redound to the long term good of the country.

In March of this year, JPS commissioned it’s 9th hydroelectric power plant, supplied by the Black River in St. Elizabeth, at a cost of over US$36M - the largest hydroelectric development to take place in Jamaica since independence.