Light at the end of the tunnel’- Leroy A. E. Abraham- as BVIEC offloads the 3 new Wartsila generators for the Phase V Power Development Project

The generators have the capacity to produce in excess of 24 megawatts of power, according to the BVIEC’s Chief Mr Leroy A. E. Abraham. “This signifies the light at the end the tunnel with regards to our woes of electrical issues in the territory. Within the next four to five months, by the end of January (2017), that project would be finished and BVIEC’s generating capacity would have significantly increased.”

For some time now the territory, with the exception of the sister island of Anegada, has been experiencing what many described, as ‘dreadfully’ power woes which have even seen persons and business losing electrical appliances.

Speaking with this news site in an exclusive interview at the Port Purcell Dock on Tortola, where the generators were being off loaded, Mr Abraham said that the last time any base load power was installed within the territory was approximately ten years ago. “So naturally with the load growth within the territory a lot of demand has come on to the system and unfortunately with the fixed generating capacity that we have, we have a very small margin in reference to supplying the territory,” said Mr Abraham.

He said with the installation and commissioning of the three new units, BVIEC will have a significant increase in generating capacity, which would reduce greatly the issues associated with load shedding and power outages.

$40M Project

Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) said the activity of this morning was one that was being looked forward to for a long time. “I have to answer a lot of questions everyday about why people’s power is out and why we are load shedding… So this is reassuring today the engines have arrived.”

The Minister explained that the Phase V Project project costs in the region of 40 million dollars.

“It’s couple of phases, one we have completed already, which was bringing transmission lines from the power station in Pockwood Pond to Long Bush so that once these engines are cranked up we would have not just the transmission lines on the coast line as we have already but we would have two alternate lines over the hills to Long Bush… those cost about three and a half million dollars.”

He explained that the original plan was to bring two engines but decided to bring three since the demands were getting higher.

Reference

Light at the end of the tunnel’- Leroy A. E. Abraham. (2016, Aug 19). Retrieved from VINO: http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-leroy-a-e-abraham