K&M was engaged by the World Bank to assist the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSC) to structure, competitively procure and negotiate the 60 MW Rockfort IPP. The project is located in an industrial area at Kingston Harbor, and consists of 3×20 MW low speed MHI diesel units and all associated support facilities. The generators are of a two stroke valveless design and use heavy fuel oil. K&M’s work was organized in two phases.
During Phase I K&M reviewed the existing legal, regulatory and institutional framework and identified specific constraints to be addressed before private power projects could be realized. During Phase II K&M analyzed the project’s feasibility; drafted and issued prequalification documents; identified, analyzed and allocated risks; developed the contractual structure; draft tender documents and project agreements; supervised the tendering process; and participated in the bid evaluation, developer selection and contract negotiations.
This was the first IPP in the Caribbean and in Jamaica to reach financial close. A principle feature of the financing package was a credit enhancement to facilitate use of Caribbean Basin Projects Financing Authority (CARIFA) 936 bond financing. Additionally, the project secured the first financing offered by Jamaica’s newly established Private Sector Energy Fund, which was developed by the World Bank to promote and facilitate private sector participation in energy development. The US$114 million project reached financial close in 1994 and commercial operation in 1996.