Major refurbishments to the Tynes Bay Incinerator will begin this September, with the first phase complete before the end of the year.

Works and Engineering Minister Derrick Burgess said the work would see $14.7 million spent.

He said that 16 years of wear and tear have made work on the site a necessity and that the improvements are hoped to double the facility's output.

"When the facility was designed, it was anticipated that one stream would meet the communities needs, with a second stream to be held in reserve for use when the first stream was shut down for maintenance work," he told the House of Assembly on Friday.

"However, Bermuda's very successful economy has led to a huge increase in the amount of municipal solid waste during the last two decades, with the result that both streams were required virtually from the plant's inception.

"Both streams are now operated on a regular basis in order to deal with the approximately 300 tonnes of municipal solid waste brought to the facility daily."

Specialists from two Swiss firms, Industrial Contractors and Engineers (ICE) AG and Elax AG will work on phase one of the project to refurbish the combustion furnace and the boiler facility and replace the flue gas cleaning facility.

"Specialist tradesmen will be brought in for the majority of the instillation, start up, and commissioning work for phase one, however the two sub contractors have sub contracted to local companies substantial elements of supporting work, valued at $5 million," Mr. Burgess said.

Phase one of the project will focus on stream two. Phase two, which is scheduled to take place between June and November next year, will focus on stream one.

While the streams are shut down, excess waste will be baled and stored at Morgan's Point until both streams are functioning again in January. Mr. Burgess thanked the residents of the Morgan's Point area for their patience while the bales are being transported late at night.