BVIEC COMPLETES FULL RESTORATION ACROSS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS FOLLOWING HURRICANE ERIN

Tortola, British Virgin Islands, August 20, 2025 — The BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) is pleased to announce that full restoration of electricity service across the Virgin Islands was achieved by 8:30 p.m. on Monday, August 18, 2025, following the passage of Hurricane Erin over the weekend.

Although the Territory was spared the worst impacts of hurricane-force winds, severe flooding, or major landslides, Erin’s outer bands delivered more than nine inches of rainfall and severe thunderstorms between Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17. These conditions significantly affected BVIEC’s electricity infrastructure, disrupting 13 of the Corporation’s 16 feeders. Only the Long Bush East, Wickhams Cay I, and Wickhams Cay II feeders remained online during the hurricane.

Thanks to swift action and coordinated response efforts, all feeders from the Pockwood Pond, Long Bush, and Long Swamp substations were restored within 12 hours of the storm’s passage, leaving only isolated faults across several communities.

Restoration Timeline:

· Anegada: Power fully restored by 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 17

· Virgin Gorda: Power fully restored by 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 18

· Tortola & Jost Van Dyke: Power fully restored by 8:30 p.m. on Monday, August 18

Over the course of the recovery, BVIEC received approximately 636 fault calls and reports, all of which were resolved by the evening of August 18.

Infrastructure Challenges

The storm’s heavy rainfall and electrical surges caused a range of damage across the Territory, including downed lines, multiple blown fuses and missing phases, damaged transformers, pole fires, and damage to the main transmission line cable powering East End and Virgin Gorda. Additionally, a high-voltage switch at the Henry Wilfred Smith Power Station sustained damage from a thunderstorm surge, rendering some switchgear and related generating assets inoperable.

A Coordinated Recovery Effort

BVIEC’s Emergency Operations Centre was activated immediately to coordinate the restoration process, led by General Manager, Dr. Neil Smith, as Incident Commander, and Deputy General Manager, Symorne Penn, as Operations Chief. Staff across all departments worked tirelessly around the clock to restore service safely and efficiently, prioritising restoration efforts based on safety and accessibility.

Dr. Smith praised the dedication of staff:

“I commend every member of the BVIEC team for their extraordinary commitment during this recovery process. Despite difficult conditions and widespread damage to our infrastructure, our staff worked around the clock to ensure power was safely restored to every community within a remarkably short timeframe. This achievement reflects the resilience and professionalism of our Corporation.”

Deputy General Manager, Ms. Penn, also highlighted the team effort:

“I acknowledge the exceptional dedication and professionalism shown by the BVIEC team in restoring electricity across the Territory in such a short time. Their teamwork, commitment to safety, and determination to serve our communities reflect the strength and resilience of both our staff and the Virgin Islands as a whole. BVIEC remains committed to strengthening our systems and operations so that we can continue to respond swiftly and effectively to any future challenges.”

Importantly, BVIEC reports that no harm or life-threatening incidents occurred among staff during the restoration period.

Ongoing Efforts

While service has been fully restored, BVIEC will continue vegetation management and infrastructure hardening efforts to reduce risks and improve resilience against future storms.

The Corporation thanks customers for their patience and understanding during the restoration process and reaffirms its commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and resilient electricity services to the Virgin Islands.

About BVIEC

The BVI Electricity Corporation is dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and affordable energy solutions for the British Virgin Islands. Through investment in people, innovation, and strategic partnerships, BVIEC continues to power progress and resilience across the Territory.