Grenada has launched a tender for a 15.1 MW PV project in a bid to meet 40% of the island's 37.67 MW peak load, according to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).

The selected developer will secure a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with state utility Grenlec as an IPP.

“The IPP will implement a utility-scale ground-mounted solar PV project at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA), Grenada,” the regulator said. “The project will consist of three separate solar PV plants with an aggregate plant capacity of approximately 15.1MWp. The solar PV plants will integrate into the Grenada Electricity Services Ltd. (Grenlec) grid.”

Grenlec will build a new substation for the project and upgrade the grid to handle the interconnection of the PV plants, the filing shows. The selected IPP must fund and execute detailed engineering, supply all materials and equipment, install the PV systems, integrate them into the grid, and manage their operation and maintenance.

Grenada, home to 115,000 people, relies primarily on diesel for electricity. The state utility operates 15 diesel generators with a combined capacity of 50 MW, alongside 1.1 MW of small-scale PV systems. Customer-owned renewables contribute 3.5 MW.

The country aims to achieve 100% renewable energy in electricity and transport by 2030.

“The project is intended to significantly increase the contribution of renewable energy in Grenada and reduce the cost of electricity generation,” said the regulator. “It is also intended to create a resilient microgrid at the MBIA to provide reliable power during long-duration grid outages.”