The IRC is drawing public attention to an important vulnerability within Dominica’s electricity system as geothermal generation becomes an established part of the national grid. Executive Director Justinn Kase says the loss of the two 5-megawatt geothermal generators is currently the single event identified as capable of resulting in an island-wide outage.
According to Kase, such a loss could occur under several circumstances, including a fault on a line or a transformer at a substation. The issue is already known to the IRC and the entities responsible for the electricity system, and work is underway to determine how the risk can best be addressed.
There are safeguards within the present system. If one geothermal generator goes offline, a battery system can help stabilize the network. Depending on its level of charge, Kase says the battery can maintain stability for approximately two and a half hours, providing time for DOMLEC to bring another generating engine online while the geothermal unit is restored. The more serious concern arises if both geothermal generators are lost.
The challenge also illustrates the technical work involved in integrating geothermal generation with Dominica’s existing electricity network. Kase explained that the geothermal plant has its own operating characteristics, which must be synchronized with the network and the other generation assets connected to it. These considerations formed part of the testing undertaken during the first five months of 2026 before the geothermal plant attained Commercial Operation Date.
The IRC says several possible solutions are being considered, although the Commission is not prepared to identify a preferred option while that work remains underway. Any solution will have to be assessed for both effectiveness and cost before a decision is made.
Kase assured the public that DOMLEC, the Dominica Geothermal Development Company and other entities are treating the matter with urgency. Once a workable approach has been identified, the IRC intends to explain the solution and its implications to the public.
By bringing attention to the vulnerability now, the Commission is seeking to ensure that the public has a clearer understanding of both the progress made through geothermal generation and the technical issues that remain to be addressed. The IRC has emphasized that the electricity system is still evolving and that resolving this particular risk is an important part of strengthening the reliability of the grid.
Recent Posts
