Long Bush Power Plant Nears End

The head of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) has promised residents and businesses in Long Bush and surrounding areas, that there will soon be tranquility as they prepare to cease power production at that power station.

Mr. Leroy Abraham, Managing Director of the BVIEC, said that with the commissioning of the three new Wartsila generators at the Pockwood Pond station, due to generating capacity, they can now comfortably do what is necessary.

“Therefore, both the future and present residents of Long Bush and surrounding communities can now look forward to a much more tranquil environment without the noise of generators…”

The Managing Director added, “In the next few weeks, we have final testing to do on the new extension, and after those exercises are complete…(we will) officially cease the production of power at Long Bush.”

Abraham said that this plan has been in the works for years.

“It’s a big deal because some of the older members of the corporation would recall that from since the mid 1990s, it has been the vision of the organization to cease the production of energy in the capital of Long Bush from the Long Bush power station.”

He added, “At this time we only have one operational unit at Long Bush…It was commissioned in 1983…it has certainly served the BVI.”

The recently completed Phase V development consisted of an expansion to the Pockwood Pond building, the installation of three new Wartsila generators with a total capacity of 25.5 megawatts, and two 34.5 kilovolt transmission cables upgrade between Pockwood Pond and Long Bush.

The corporation has already started discussions with Wartsila to purchase a fourth generator for the Pockwood Pond power station, but Abraham said that they are also in dire need of a new power station.

“So Hon. Premier (Dr. Orlando Smith), Hon. (Mark) Vanterpool, you heard it; as you can likewise see, we need a new power station site. Not want, we need one,” Abraham said.

He noted that a lot has been accomplished in a short period, but the public can rest assured that there is no room for complacency at BVIEC.

” …The BVIEC is moving to become one of the most technology advanced electrical utility globally, and one which residents of the BVI can be proud of because our Territory’s infrastructure must be world class.”

The corporation currently serves 17,000 customers.

Reference

Long Bush Power Plant Nears End. ( May 10, 2017). Retrieved from Bviplatinum: http://bviplatinum.com/news.php?articleId=27106