The Geothermal Plant

Local Production - Bouillante

Recognized nationally as an important  structure in terms of new energy sources, Bouillante’s geothermal plant provides electricity for the towns of Vieux-Habitants and Pointe-Noire. But how? First, water is naturally superheated by the volcanos: the magma which once fired these volcanos now heats up both rainwater and seawater, and these two filter down and intermingle under Bouillante Bay. This incredibly hot water, which can reach temperatures of between 250 and 260°C, remains in contact with the undersea rocks long enough to absorb a number of mineral elements, including silica. The water also contains small quantities of volcanic gas, and this explains the characteristic smell of sulfur that occurs in the area around the springs and the plant. Boreholes are used to extract the steam at depths of up to 1 km. underground, and this steam powers the two turbines in the plant. On average, the plant, which is operated by Géothermie Bouillante, provides around 7% of Guadeloupe’s electricity needs.