CONCERNS were raised by several Members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly at Thursday’s meeting of the Assembly following an update by MLA Peter Biggs on progress surrounding the new power station project, in which he spoke simultaneously of a 24-month delivery phase, and a goal of completion by December 2025.
The update was delivered following a question from MLA Gavin Short in Legislative Assembly on October 26, in which he asked whether a previous timeline given in 2023 was still accurate.
MLA Biggs, portfolio holder for Environment & Public Infrastructure, said that “progress on the New Power Station project has been slower than had been anticipated.
“However, although slow there is progress being made. The basis of design has been agreed between the parties and the information is now with Allen Diesel’s and Turner & Townsend to allow a cost estimate for the project to be completed.”
He added that he had “confidence” that the project would meet the delivery date.”
MLA Leona Roberts raised a concern that MLA Biggs had spoken of a 24-month delivery, and her understanding of an intention to bring funds for the power station to be considered in the next budget round, and that “if there’s a 24-month delivery timetable there’s just no way that December [2025] feels achievable” and asked for information on whether requests for funds for a new power station would be brought forward, and posited that if not “we may need to be more realistic” with the timetable.
MLA Roberts added that “without electricity we’re all in an awful lot of trouble.”
MLA Biggs confirmed that the intent was to bring the funds for consideration in the budget process.
MLA Spink voiced a view that there is a need to “revisit” the timescales with the Directorate of Public Works, this was supported by MLA Gavin Short and MLA John Birmingham.
“Otherwise we keep failing to deliver on optimistic projections,” MLA Spink said.
“I would rather be realistic, and I think we really need to visit this outside of this forum.”
MLA Biggs voiced that review during the budget process may present new timing information.

Picture: The capital Stanley’s current power station