Prime Minister and GEBE manager to sign agreement for power engines

Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina and GEBE Temporary Manager Iris Arindell are to formally sign a purchase and lease agreement for new electricity-generation engines. The agreement follows government financing steps to add permanent generation capacity after widespread load shedding in 2024.

The government secured an ANG 75.6 million loan, about US$42 million, from the Netherlands for electricity generation. Parliament approved the financing in October 2024, and the government confirmed receipt of the funds in January 2025. The loan has a 25-year repayment period and a 2.43% interest rate.

The original investment plan called for three generators with combined capacity of about 27 megawatts. Rising equipment costs led to changes in the financing arrangement, with government loan funding committed to two generators and GEBE pursuing financing for a third. The stated aim is to improve the reliability of electricity services in Sint Maarten.