Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath says Government will be moving to immediately review the existing power purchase agreements with Powergen and Trinidad Generation Unlimited (TGU).
Speaking with Guardian Media on Sunday night while attending Ramleela celebrations at Dow Village in California, central Trinidad, Padarath said agreements had been left to languish over the years.
Powergen and TGU were placed under Padarath’s ministry on Saturday, during a major realignment of ministerial responsibilities by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The changes were approved by President Christine Kangaloo based on the Prime Minister’s advice and placed in the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette on Saturday. The changes took effect that same day.
Padarath had said he welcomed the changes that impacted 18 ministers. The Prime Minister herself took on more responsibilities with the reassignments.
On Sunday night, Padarath said he already had several new plans and wanted to engage with stakeholders in the power-producing sector to make electricity generation more viable in tandem with T&TEC, Powergen and TGU.
“There will be an immediate review of the power purchase agreements,” he said. Padarath added that there are several proposals on the table to utilise excess electrical power to generate revenue.
“I’m now taking responsibility for Powergen and TGU, and therefore I would like to see what exists right now, as there have been some challenges in not reviewing the power purchase agreement in terms of multinational companies and national companies.”
He said he intends to bring together key representatives from Powergen, TGU, NGC and T&TEC for discussions.
Padarath also outlined plans to boost power production in Tobago, noting that T&TEC’s facilities at the Cove Power Plant need to be upgraded. He said the Government was working with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to ensure that this takes place in the very near future. —Shastri Boodan
