The Government is committed to strengthening its partnership with liquefied natural gas (LNG) company, Excelerate Energy, to advance the country’s transition to cleaner, more affordable energy for Jamaicans, says Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith.

She noted that for far too long, high energy costs have been a structural drag on growth, and the Government is actively focused on moving away from heavy fuel oil towards cleaner and more efficient alternatives.

“The LNG infrastructure that Excelerate now operates is central to that transition and it has contributed to more stable generation cost. It has strengthened our energy security and created a platform for industrial users that simply did not exist before. That is real progress,” she said.

Senator Johnson Smith was speaking at the entity’s first anniversary celebrations held at the residence of the United States (US) Ambassador in St. Andrew on Tuesday (April 28).

Excelerate, which acquired the assets and operations of New Fortress Energy in 2025, provides LNG solutions for energy companies such as Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS).

The entity, which is headquartered in Texas, United States, aims to improve the quality of life in the communities they serve through the provision of clean, reliable, and affordable energy.

Senator Johnson Smith applauded Excelerate on its first anniversary of operations in Jamaica and the entity’s contribution to the country’s transition into using cleaner energy sources.

“One year ago, Excelerate assumed stewardship of critical energy infrastructure in Jamaica, and tonight is an opportunity to reflect on what that transition has meant, as well as to think about the opportunities that lie ahead,” she said.

“We see three clear frontiers for this partnership. First, expanding natural gas utilisation beyond large-scale power generation into industrial and commercial applications; second, integrating LNG infrastructure with renewable energy systems; and third, developing Jamaica as a regional energy hub. Our geography, our existing infrastructure and our institutional relationships position us well for that role,” she pointed out.

For his part, President, Excelerate Energy, Steven Kobos, said one year later, the company has no regrets about acquiring New Fortress Energy’s three major operations/assets in Jamaica at the Montego Bay and Old Harbour LNG terminals, and the Clarendon combined heat and power plant.

New Fortress Energy brought LNG to the island in 2016.

“It’s been a year, but it has been a busy year… we do have a commitment to Jamaica,” Mr. Kobos said.

“We have local employees… you should be proud of the work the men and women of Jamaica do all over the world, providing energy security for other people. We take that mission to heart. We know that’s what sovereigns all over the world count on us to do. We enjoy that responsibility. We embrace it and we want to be a part of that here,” he added.