Anegada Solar-Battery Plant Commissioned
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley formally commissioned the Anegada Hybrid Renewable Energy and Battery Energy Storage System on Friday, December 12, 2025, calling it a "bold step forward" and saying "visitors will be impressed by our stewardship of God's environmental gifts," according to VINO. The plant — completed for under $6 million and engineered to withstand Category 2 hurricanes — supplies up to 19 hours of solar power a day, cutting diesel use to mainly overnight and improving reliability for residents, businesses and tourism on Anegada.
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) formally commissioned the Anegada Hybrid Renewable Energy and Battery Energy Storage System on Friday, December 12, 2025, a move officials say marks a major advance in sustainable development for the Virgin Islands (VINO).
Speaking at the commissioning, Premier Wheatley praised the team behind the project and said it demonstrates the administration's commitment to transformation. "We have a strong team that is delivering this administration's mandate," he said, congratulating Honourable Kye Rymer, PS Elvia Smith-Maduro and the BVI Electricity Corporation team for bringing the project to completion (VINO).
The Premier framed the installation as a practical improvement in day-to-day life on Anegada. According to VINO, Wheatley said the plant delivers more reliable electricity, fewer outages and reduced voltage fluctuations — benefits that support greater productivity across the economy, better conditions for students and improved social services.
Wheatley also emphasised the environmental and tourism implications of the installation. "This project will attract visitors who will be impressed by our stewardship of God's environmental gifts," he said (VINO). He noted that the territory is on the frontlines of climate change and that protecting beaches, marine life and coral reefs is essential both to the islands' identity and to the tourism economy.
Technical details provided at the ceremony and reported by VINO show the solar-battery plant was completed for under $6 million and is engineered to withstand Category 2 hurricanes. The hybrid system supplies up to 19 hours of solar-generated power to Anegada each day, meaning diesel-fired generators will now be used only for short periods — primarily overnight.
Officials expect that shift to lower fuel consumption, reduce operating costs and cut emissions for the island's electricity supply. For Anegada — one of the BVI's most remote and tourism-dependent islands — the project addresses long-standing challenges tied to diesel-based systems, including high generation costs and inconsistent service.
Residents and businesses stand to benefit from steadier power for tourism facilities, fishing operations, small enterprises and community services. Government officials framed the commissioning as part of a broader strategy to transform the territory's energy landscape through sustainable investments.
The plant also serves as a demonstration that renewable solutions can be tailored to island conditions and built with resilience to storm impacts, reinforcing both adaptation and mitigation efforts in the face of rising climate risks. As the territory continues to confront those risks, the Anegada hybrid system is presented as a concrete example of local action: lowering carbon footprints while strengthening the resilience and economic prospects of a small island community (VINO).
Primary source: VINO