Lafiteau, Haiti. Monday, February 10th, 2020 – Last Friday marked an important day, not only for the Lafito endeavor but also for Haiti, as the 24MW of competitive and reliable power plant went 200 consecutive days without a power shutdown!
The 24MW power plant is centrally located in the Lafito Industrial Free Zone (or LIFZ for short) within the fully-integrated economic zone of Lafito Global. The Power Plant is comprised of ten (10) 2.4 MW Daihatsu engines (a division of Toyota) and represents the largest Daihatsu power plant in the world.
Strategically located along Route Nationale 1, the country’s primary artery connecting Port-au-Prince to the major secondary cities of St. Marc, Gonaives, & Cap Haitian; the power plant is the best-positioned power plant in the country poised to contribute immediately to the country’s ambitious electricity expansion plans.
“We have excess capacity available, particularly in off-peak hours, and we are eager to continue playing our part to increase capacity and efficiency, and decrease costs on the national grid” comments Andress Appolon, General Manager, Lafito Industrial Free Zone.
LIFZ already has a concession with the Haitian government (signed in 2015), to distribute power within Lafito Global as well as neighboring industrial consumers. The concession includes a provision for distribution to km70. LIFZ will continue to work with officials to ensure that the country takes full benefit of its first 100% privately funded power plant without any sovereign guarantees.
The plant has been engineered to provide an unprecedented level of reliability and flexibility including a fully-redundant, dual circuit distribution line to allow maintenance without service interruption to clients; as we have just recently proven.
The Power Plant at Lafito Industrial Free Zone, is the only Power Plant in Haiti attached to a Free Zone, an Industrial Park, an International Port and Container Terminal. As part of the Lafito Global Integrated Economic Zone, the Power Plant is the latest addition to the suite of critical infrastructure being offered to international manufacturing companies in Haiti.
Lafito Industrial Free Zone offers manufacturers a complete package: exceptional location, integrated infrastructure and professional partnerships in addition to being the only location in Haiti to offer its manufacturers the essential conditions to efficiently and effectively produce high-quality goods for the United States and other key markets.
“After an aggressive 15-month construction schedule, the power plant has been live since November 2018. Since then, we have been able to offer our current and future tenants with reliable power at competitive prices (even through the recent 3-month country lockdown). This current record-breaking performance is the best proof that Lafito remains the very best location in Haiti to do business” adds Mrs. Appolon
This feat carries a significant impact on the community. Since the beginning, Lafito Industrial Free Zone has been committed to investing in vital infrastructure that will support economic growth and job creation. In keeping with that vision, the LIFZ Power Plant boasts 21 full-time employees of which 19 or 90% are Haitian nationals. Only a handful of foreign professionals were brought on board for their expertise and are required to ensure proper knowledge transfer. With this structure, Lafito Global is proud to be contributing to the creation of high-value, sustainable new jobs.