The JPS Subsidiary – South Jamaica Power Company (SJPC), yesterday morning signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with Spanish contracting firm TSK, for the construction of the highly anticipated 190 megawatt power plant to be built in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine.  The entire cost of the plant is approximately US$330M

General Manager of the South Jamaica Power Company (SJPC), Dan Theoc, speaking at the signing ceremony, noted that the new power plant would facilitate the addition of more Natural Gas to the fuel mix.  “The last [base load] power plant to be built by JPS was in 2003,” he pointed out, making reference to the Bogue Power Plant in Montego Bay, which was recently converted to use Natural Gas. “This plant will be even more significant to the energy landscape in terms of both size and impact,” he said.  The 190 MW power plant will not only facilitate fuel diversification with a cleaner fuel, which is important to Jamaica as an island state, but will also allow JPS to retire its ageing plant in Old Harbour Bay.

(l-r) JPS President & CEO, Kelly Tomblin; Managing Director of South Jamaica Power Company (SJPC), Dan Theoc; TSK President, Joaquin Garcia; and TSK General Manager of Power, Francisco Martin sign the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the construction of the highly anticipated 190MW Power Plant to be built in Old Harbour Bay.

President & CEO of JPS, Kelly Tomblin, who also addressed the gathering, expressed her appreciation both for TSK and the SJPC project team who together remained determined and committed throughout the development process to ensure construction of the new plant.  She noted that JPS continues to be true to the mission to find an energy solution for every Jamaican, with an unwavering focus on economic development, fuel diversity and an intelligent grid.

CEO of the Spanish contracting firm, TSK, Mr. Joaquin Garcia, in his address, said he was pleased to be working alongside SJPC to help make this significant contribution to the Jamaican economy.  The firm, he said, looked forward to building the power plant and helping to change the local energy landscape.

The power plant will be completed by early 2019.