Cooperation with Jamaica
Korea East-West Power Corp. (EWP) announced on April 12 that its CEO Kim Yong-jin had a meeting with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Andrew Wheatley to discuss ways to cooperate in the energy sector between the two countries in Kingston, Jamaica, on April 7 (local time).
At the meeting, Kim presented the current power projects of the EWP in Jamaica and declared his intention to develop additional projects in the future. In addition, he offered comprehensive project development plans such as new joint business development considering the characteristics of an island country, like smart grid establishment, and new renewable energy development including solar power business using its abundance of sunlight.
In this regard, Prime Minister Holness emphasized the importance of the EWP’s role in Jamaica and asked to make a steady investment and maintain a constructive relationship. Kim said, “The EWP and other South Korean energy companies need active support from the Jamaican government in order to make an investment in Jamaica.
Kim also attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the nation’s first gas combined cycle power plant with a capacity of 190 MW commissioned by Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to encourage officials and wish a successful completion. The EWP is a major shareholder of the plant.
The new gas combined cycle power plant is one of long-cherished projects pushed ahead by the Jamaican government for more than a decade in order to reduce electric charges by diversifying fuels. It accounts for about 20 percent of 906 MW of the total capacities of the power facilities in Jamaica.