Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has announced the Government’s intention to bring the Guaracara Refinery back into operation.
The Prime Minister’s confirmation came on Friday night, one day after she received the Interim Report of the Refinery Restart Committee, which was appointed to rigorously assess whether it could be returned to service some seven years after its closure.
In a statement posted on X, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar noted that the report presented a strong case for resuming operations.
“My Government will restart the refinery. The findings are clear: restarting the Guaracara Refinery is technically, commercially and financially viable – even after seven years of closure and neglect. The Committee confirms: Newer GOP plants remain in good condition, time is of the essence as further deterioration could make a restart uneconomic. The ULSD plant is critical to capturing strong regional demand.”
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar described the Guaracara Refinery as a “a national asset with enormous potential for economic growth, employment, and energy security.”
She stated: “A restart will create major jobs, contractor opportunities, foreign exchange, and revitalise fenceline communities Trinidad & Tobago can once again become a leading regional supplier of refined products.”
The Prime Minister has now directed the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries to evaluate the Committee’s findings and present the most feasible and strategic restart options for Cabinet consideration.
A final feasibility report, along with a formal restart recommendation, is expected to be submitted in early 2026.
