The Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) has reported that dredging at Crabbs Peninsula is entering its final stage, a development Cabinet officials say is critical to bringing the country’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant into full operation.

Cabinet spokesman Maurice Merchant said APUA advised the Cabinet this week that approximately 80,000 cubic meters of dredging material remain, and the work is expected to be completed within three to four months. Merchant said the completion of this final phase will “pav[e] the way for the efficient operation of the LNG plant at Crabbs.”

According to Merchant, the LNG facility is a key component of Antigua and Barbuda’s long-term energy strategy. While no specific timeline was provided for when LNG-powered generation will begin supplying electricity to the public, he said the shift is expected to bring greater consistency in electricity supply once the system is fully operational.

Merchant told reporters that APUA did not discuss any immediate reduction in electricity prices. He said any potential cost effects “will be seen within a few months of the operations,” following the plant’s commissioning and its “teething process.”

The Cabinet was also briefed on APUA’s broader modernization efforts tied to water and electricity reliability. Merchant said APUA’s ongoing upgrades include the installation of smart meters, a new leak-detection system, and accelerated re-piping along the All Saints Road corridor as part of a coordinated national infrastructure program.