BVI News

BVIEC cashes in on $10M insurance settlement, making powerplant hurricane-proof

BVIEC’s powerplant in Pockwood Pond

With the peak of the hurricane season fast approaching, the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) is seeking to have a hurricane-proof powerplant ready by September.

General Manager of BVIEC Leroy Abraham told BVI News on Tuesday that this powerplant will be able to withstand up to a category five storm.

He said work is underway at the Pockwood Pond-based facility thanks to a $10 million insurance settlement.

“We are making sure that it (the power plant) will not be as it was before but much better and stronger. So we have made some improvements to the structure, recognizing what we experienced. We definitely know what we had before couldn’t stand up to [the category five hurricanes], so we made some improvements in the rehabilitation of the building,” Abraham said.

He continued: “Certain areas that were just sheeting on the wall, we have put up blocks and reinforced with concrete. We have made the galvanize slightly heavier and added a lot more screws. So where we have recognized where the weak points in reference to the buildings we made sure that we strengthened those areas.”

He said the powerplant’s roof will be completed by the end of July.

“The few windows and the doors that blew out — we are hoping that they will be here and it will be installed between August and September. So based on the delivery on most of these things as some of them have to come from Europe, it is more than likely that we should be finished with the building improvements around the end of September.”

In the meantime, plans are also underway to have the other substations such as those based at Long Bush on Tortola and on Virgin Gorda repaired.

“We have quite a bit of assets to replace that was severely damaged and a few other substations here and there that were minimally damaged. So it’s quite a bit,” he said.

Like the rest of the territory, the BVIEC sustained severe damage during the 2017 hurricane season.

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13 Comments

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  1. Enki says:

    Will it be fire proof ?

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
    • Dump says:

      Take the money and buy and or fix the incinerator. There is no way that the power plant can become hurricane proof. Just a waste of money. Save the funds to use after the next storm

      Like 7
      Dislike 6
  2. Anonymous says:

    Needed is sessation or rolling back of those overwhelming monthly costs of/for service.

    We must and do not mind paying our incurred fees. We just think that over charging is a common and wrong ill of this/our society.

    The people need relief from excessive continuous price gouging.

    Like 14
    Dislike 3
  3. smh says:

    good news

  4. Weedy says:

    Sounds good. when all the power lines and poles come down what good is the power plant.

    Like 9
    Dislike 2
  5. Think says:

    Hurricane proof? Or, built to meet hurricane standards (good up to 180 mph)?

  6. What about the Mechanics? says:

    I feel sorry for the BVIEC Auto Mechanics in Long Bush. Everything has been rebuilt and the shop still look exactly the same as the day after Irma minus the debris.

    And it’s right next to the road for everyone to see. Nobody cares for them?

  7. Eagle eye says:

    What about bviec employees who have been treated like trash before and after Irma.the leader always talks about bviec in the red.sad

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  8. No nonsense says:

    That sounds like the 10 million that was missing before this government. Dem just putting it back to cover up!

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  9. What about Anegada says:

    God don’t like ugly
    That building is crap
    And we running on one generator truth be told
    You all are really fooling people in your little corporation but it’s time for the truth to set us free
    In today’s world and with this island being such a unique and marketable destination don’t you think Powell is essential for
    Residents
    Businesses
    Visitors
    We want representation and we want it now

  10. My Two Cents says:

    i truly believe we have to seriously consider doing away with overhead electrical lines and going underground. it is a very expensive undertaking but it an be done in phases starting with key wide-scope areas. for starters, we can start with the entire district 4 (given that this is the commercial hub of the BVI, and where most of our international businesses are domiciled), as well as the main village/town/communities of the sister islands..like Spanish Town/The Valley Virgin Gorda; Great Harbour Jost Van Dyke, and The Settlement Anegada. and after that, we can move to probably doing two districts at a time…like district 1 and district 9, then district 2 and district 8, and then district 3 and district 7, or what have you. and while all of this is taking place, we strongly pursue and encourage the use of solar/wind enery to rely less on fossil fuel for our energy consumption. in order for us to take this country to the next level, we have to create a system that reduces the impact caused by natural disasters. just throwing out ideas.

    • ??? says:

      Good ideas. The commercial district in Road Town is already underground. Take a look, no overhead lines.

      The government passed renewable energy laws a few years ago so now just waiting for the renewable energy developments.

  11. Truth says:

    Thank you Nagico

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