The Government of Dominica is grateful to Mr. Robert Flexon and Mr. Lynton Scotland for a donation of a one-megawatt generator unit. The generator was donated after the severe impacts of Hurricane Maria in 2017 to assist in the restoration of electricity. At a small ceremony on Wednesday, March 16 2022, Minister for Public Works and the Digital Economy, Hon. Cassanni Laville expressed his gratitude for this donation.
“In a time when we were struck by Hurricane Maria in 2017, a time when as we know our generators, power supply, distribution line, would have been significantly damaged. We suffered a lot during that time period and these two gentlemen through their kindness and philanthropic effort were able to come to our assistance and arrange for this donation to the Government and the people of Dominica. So we are certainly grateful for their kindness and their donation,” Hon. Laville stated.
Minister for Planning, Economic Development, Climate Resilience, Sustainable Development, And Renewable Energy, Hon. Dr. Vince Henderson believes this is an opportunity to integrate the generator into the DOMLEC network. He says in doing so it takes Dominica one step closer to achieving climate resilience.
“We’ve had some early discussions with the engineers of DOMLEC to determine what is the best use of this gift that you have so graciously extended to us and we hope that it will be able to give us that opportunity to build sort of a mini grid within the Roseau area especially the Government services; so in the event that we get hit we can utilize it. In addition there’s discussion that it could possibly be used during peak times, peak hours, to provide power unto the grid so I think that it is a gift that, although it was given to help us, to generate power after Hurricane Maria, I think it is a good place for it,” Dr. Henderson noted.
Mr. Lynton Scotland, a Dominican descendant based in the United States says he is grateful to give back to Dominica.
“We had to get that unit from California, bring it to St. Louis, reconfigure it for frequency to keep with Dominica standards, ship it from St. Louis to Miami and then from Miami to down here. But there were many people that were involved in getting this together because we all came together as Dominicans to get this down here,” Mr. Scotland stated.
Mr. Robert Flexon, a partner in this donation saying units like the one megawatt gifted to Dominica, allows for renewable energy.
The unit is located near the Windsor Park Sports Stadium. Discussions are being held with team DOMLEC to establish a micro grid in that area, to assist in powering up major government institutions in the area. DOMLEC will conduct a site visit later this month to evaluate the switch gears and assess the already established generators at the stadium.
The generator contributes to Dominica’s renewable energy and resiliency goals.