ORANJESTAD (AAN) – The Aruba government has approved a strategic investment to remove deteriorating industrial towers at the Aruba Refinery, citing risks to the island’s fuel supply and energy security.
Finance, Economic Affairs and Primary Sector Minister Geoffrey Wever and Director Robert Henriquez formalized a AWG 7 million loan to Fuels Marketing & Supply Aruba N.V. (FMSA) to finance the removal of the TOSI and MHI industrial towers at Refineria di Aruba N.V. (RDA).
According to the government, the aging structures pose a significant safety risk and could seriously disrupt Aruba’s fuel distribution system if they were to collapse, potentially affecting electricity generation across the island.
The funding was approved by the Council of Ministers and authorized by Parliament as part of the government’s strategy to protect critical national infrastructure.
Officials also said the financial support will prevent the refinery from passing the project’s costs on to consumers through higher fuel prices, helping to protect household purchasing power and limit inflation.
The loan includes strict technical and legal conditions and gives the government the option to convert part or all of the financing into an equity investment in RDA if required to protect the public interest.
