The full engineering design for a new renewable energy system aimed at improving power reliability at the Princess Alexandra Hospital is now complete.
The government is currently reviewing the submission, with the project set to move into the implementation phase once approval is granted.
Infrastructure minister Jose Vanterpool announced the “major step forward” during a government press conference on 18 May.
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“The project will deliver a hospital-grade renewable energy system, combining solar power, battery storage and backup integration to ensure uninterrupted service at our main healthcare facility,” he said.
Vanterpool said the engineering team has strengthened the design significantly to increase the system to a 500 kilowatt hospital-grade standard at no additional cost.
“This upgrade ensures that the hospital can meet current demand as well as expanded future needs, including new critical services such as expanded facilities and advanced medical equipment,” he said.
The minister explained that the system is expected to generate over 400,000 kilowatt hours each year, reducing energy costs as well as improving resilience during outages.
“In simple terms, this project will protect healthcare delivery in Anguilla, ensuring that even during power disruptions, our hospital can continue to operate safely and reliably,” he said.
Last November Vanterpool had said plans were ongoing for the supply, installation and design of a photovoltaic (PV) system at the hospital, which is expected to reduce power costs by 52%.
“This investment is expected to pay itself off within the first five years of its operation and provide a 398 positive return on investment over the 25 year expected lifespan of the infrastructure,” he said.
In an earlier press conference, he explained that the decision to install the system had come following an internal investigation to determine how to best optimise government energy use.
The minister said the hospital’s electricity bills had been analysed for the five months from July to November and the total was EC$832,500 or an average of $166,500 per month.
