BVIEC Tenders Major Battery Storage and 10MW
The British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation has expanded its clean energy and grid modernization push with a tender for a 10 MW solar farm on Tortola alongside its planned 10 MW / 20 MWh battery storage facility. The complementary projects are designed to supply renewable power, withstand Category 5 hurricanes, and significantly reduce the territory's reliance on diesel generation.
The British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) is accelerating its transition toward cleaner and more resilient energy with the launch of tenders for both a 10 MW solar farm and a major 10 MW / 20 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on Tortola. Under its newly issued tender notice, BVIEC is seeking qualified firms through National Competitive Bidding to install a renewable power source capable of supplying at least 10 MW of energy daily for the island's residential and commercial community.
The solar farm will connect directly to Tortola's existing electrical grid. Given the Virgin Islands' position in the tropical hurricane belt, the tender mandates that the entire solar installation must be built to withstand Category 5 hurricane-force winds. Resilience requirements for the solar development are stringent.
The facility must remain in full operation until at least six hours prior to the arrival of a severe weather event and be capable of returning to peak load generation within 24 hours after a hurricane passes. BVIEC noted it is receptive to multiple commercial structures, ranging from outright procurement and ownership by the utility to a power purchase agreement with an independent power producer.
Bids for the solar farm are due by Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 10:00 AM. In parallel, BVIEC is progressing with its international competitive tender for the battery storage system at the Pockwood Pond Power Station. The territory's current generation fleet relies on nine diesel units—six rated at 5.5 MW and three rated at 8.5 MW—to meet a peak site demand of approximately 33 MW.
The planned battery system is deliberately sized to surpass the capacity of the utility's largest single generator, thereby securing the island's vital spinning reserve. By delivering rapid-response power, the battery installation will help stabilize the electrical grid, mitigate sudden generation losses, and eliminate the need to run extra diesel engines solely for backup reserves.
The battery project is being procured under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing model, requiring the contractor to deliver a turnkey facility along with integrated financing terms. A mandatory site visit and pre-bid conference for the battery storage project will take place at Pockwood Pond on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM, ahead of an October 2, 2026 submission deadline.
Prospective bidders for either project can obtain documentation or request clarifications by contacting procurement@bvielectricity.com.
Primary source: BVI Electricity