Turks and Caicos Islands

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggests a decline in emissions by 20% by 2020 (IPCC,
2007), corresponding to about 3 t CO2 per capita per year, a figure that also considers global population
growth. While there is consequently room for many countries in the region to increase per capita
emissions, including in particular Haiti, many of the more developed countries in the Caribbean, including
Turks and Caicos, will need to adjust per capita emissions budgets downwards, i.e. reduce national
emissions in the medium-term future.
Figure 4.2.2: Per capita emissions of CO2 in selected countries in the Caribbean, 2005
(Source: Hall et al., 2009)
Important in the context of this report is that in most Caribbean countries, tourism is a major contributor to
emissions of greenhouse gases (Simpson et al., 2008; see also country reports in the Risk Atlas). As these
emissions are not usually quantified, the purpose of this assessment is to look in greater detail into energy
use by the sector.
The Turks and Caicos Islands
Electricity is supplied to the islands by two providers under 50-year licenses from the Government. The
islands of Providenciales, North, Middle and South Caicos are supplied by Fortis Turks and Caicos who
operate Provo Power Company Ltd. (PPC) and Atlantic Equipment and Power (Turks and Caicos) Ltd. The
latter serves South Caicos only. Turks & Caicos Utilities, Ltd. (TCU) supplies Grand Turk and Salt Cay (WRB,
n.d.).
PPC serves more than 9,000 customers corresponding to 85% of consumers in TCI and has an exclusive
public supplier‘s license to provide service to the whole of Providenciales. This means that should any other
entity apply to generate and distribute power on the island, PPC have the right to be notified and heard
before a decision is made. In 2009, the utility had a total diesel-powered electricity generation capacity of
54MW; peak demand in that year reached 29.6 MW. Recent acquisition and installation of 2 more efficient
units should have raised capacity to 60 MW (46.3MW of medium speed diesel, and 17.7MW of high speed
diesel plant) (Castalia, 2011). The first of the two engines was commissioned in October 2010 and the
second was installed in August, 2011 (Fortis TCI, 2011). Table 4.2.1 shows the breakdown of demand by
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