For a better experience on Caribbean Utilities Company, update your browser. CUC relies upon diesel generation to produce electricity for Grand Cayman. The island has neither hydroelectric potential nor inherent thermal resources, and the Company must rely upon diesel fuel imported to Grand Cayman primarily from refineries in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. The fuel is transferred by pipeline from suppliers' tanker terminals to CUC's centralised generating Power Plant located on the outskirts of George Town.
In 2017, Grand Cayman's first commercial solar project was completed and commissioned. The facility is connected to the Company's Bodden Town Substation and provides energy to power approximately 800 homes with clean renewable solar energy (5 MW Solar Farm).
CUC's power system is comprised of 20 generating units (17 diesel engines, 2 gas turbines and 1 steam turbine) with a combined capacity of 161 megawatts (MW). In addition, the Company has 4 mobile units each with a capacity of 1.5 MW.
Generation expansion planning by the Company is based mainly on historical growth trends and planned major commercial developments. In addition, limits prescribed by CUC's Licence with the Cayman Islands Government dictate the minimum and maximum reserve generating capacity that the Company must maintain to ensure a reliable supply of electricity after allowance for breakdown and scheduled maintenance.
In May and June 2016, the Company commissioned two 18.5 MW V48/60 medium-speed diesel generating units along with a 2.7 MW steam turbine powered through a waste heat recovery system, which are housed in a new purpose built power house – Engine Room 6.
The Company's generating plant, 2 of its 8 existing transformer substations, office building, hurricane centre, warehouse, fuel tanks and garage are all located on approximately 28.6 acres of land owned by the Company and located on North Sound Road, Grand Cayman. The Company owns 6 additional sites for transformer substations located on approximately 7 acres of land.
