内容摘要：Construction was due to start in 2021 at a rate of about 50 schools per year.

Construction was due to start in 2021 at a rate of about 50 schools per year.

Mr Blachar believes the Caribbean could become "a hub" for geothermal technology.Ormat acquired Guadeloupe's plant from the French government in 2017 and is currently expanding it to boost its capacity to 25 megawatts.

With support from the CDB and driven by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, work is also under way to explore and develop geothermal potential in fellow volcanic island nations Grenada, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.Ormat will operate the Dominica plant for 20 years before handing it over to state electricity provider Domlec. Mr Blachar estimates it will employ around 30 local people when it comes on stream later this year.It should initially generate enough power to meet half of Dominica's peak electricity demand, says Fred John, managing director of the government-owned Dominica Geothermal Development Company, which is also involved in the scheme.

Authorities are confident the plant will then soon support the entire country, and have enough spare electricity for some to be exported to neighbouring islands.Mr John says that the facility will "serve as a test case for an attractive alternative" to fossil fuels. "The rest of the OECS will benefit from the lessons learned here – both what worked and what didn't," he adds.

The OECS recently set a target to reach 30% renewable energy within 10 years, with some countries, including Dominica and St Kitts, aiming for 100% by then.

OECS Director General Dr Didacus Jules describes Dominica's geothermal project as a "bold and visionary step".Members of the public previously

over the lack of consultation about the decision and the impact it would have on accessibility.This week, a spokesperson for PCC said restoration works, costing about £1.2m, had been agreed and the bridges were expected to reopen by April 2025.

Bridges at the reserve are inspected every two years and in January, the council said signs of degradation were found.The review noted that three bridges, adjacent to Baron Court, Lakeside and Welbourne, had deteriorated much more quickly than anticipated and posed a risk to public safety.