Officials of the companies seeking the government’s approval to build liquefied natural gas projects in The Bahamas refused to say whether they are running out of patience, but on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to the controversial plans.
Robin Pence, vice president of communication for AES Corporation, told The Bahama Journal that she would not speculate on how long the company will continue to wait for an answer.
“We are still moving forward, but it has been a long process,” Ms. Pence admitted.
“We understand the government’s need for diligence. We have met all conditions required and believe that it is time to move forward with the project.”
The company wishes to construct a plant on tiny Ocean Cay near Bimini, but faced a major stumbling block earlier in the year when wealthy residents of nearby Cat Cay fiercely objected to the proposal.
It came weeks after Prime Minister Perry Christie had indicated that the project was on the brink of receiving approval.
But he later said that he had spoken too soon on the matter.
Ms. Pence indicated that AES will continue to prepare for the start of the project, which would also involve laying a pipeline between Ocean Cay and South Florida to meet increasing demands for energy.
The second LNG project that remains in limbo is the one being proposed by Tractebel and El Paso corporations. They were left to rethink their project after a key partner, Florida Power and Light, pulled out of the plan.
Richard Wheatley, manager of media relations at El Paso in Houston, Texas, said on Tuesday that the company is still evaluating its Bahamas plans.
“LNG still makes very good sense for the Florida market,” he said. “It is a viable energy alternative to meet the state’s energy needs and therefore the bottom line is that LNG can and does make sense for the Florida market.”
But Mr. Wheatley declined to say whether El Paso was growing weary by the wait for an answer from the government.
Months ago, government officials indicated that The Bahamas Environment Science and Technology Commission (BEST) had determined that the two sites proposed by El Paso and Tractebel in Grand Bahama for an LNG plant were not viable.
They included the Freeport Harbour and another location at South Riding Point.
However, BEST approved the Ocean Cay location chosen by AES.
Trade and Industry Minister Leslie Miller, who had been giving deadlines for when the government intended to make a decision on LNG, has more recently declined to announce such target dates.
Instead, he has indicated that the government will make a decision after carrying out due diligence and considering the environmental, economic and social impacts such projects would have in The Bahamas.
By: Royanne Forbes, The Bahama Journal
