Mare-Chicose, Mauritius - The Mauritian Prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, on Friday evening inaugurated an electricity power station in Mare Chicose, southern Mauritius, that will generate 2MW of power from waste. Mr Rangoolam said the project was a striking example of the gradual materialization of the concept of 'Mauritius, a durable island'.

He said when the concept was launched in 2008, one of the major objectives was to encourage the reduction of carbon emission by giving priority to the use of locally available renewable energy sources.

According to the PM, such a project would significantly change the perception of energy production in Mauritius.

Mr Rangoolam said the government had since 2005 announced the reform of the Mauritian energy sector by encouraging the participation of the private sector in the production of electricity.

The Prime minister said the government had taken measures to create the appropriate atmosphere for private investment, adding that other green energy production projects would  be implemented shortly.

According to him, Mauritius can be an example for the whole world by reducing significantly its dependence on fossil energy.

Pierre Ah-Sue, director of Sotravic Ltée, the energy company, said the capacity of the power station is to produce 110 million KWH in the five years to supply about 5,000 households, or about 1% of the island’s electricity production.

Pana 26/11/2011