Here’s why residents can’t get reliable electricity and water
General Manager at the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) Dr. Neil Smith has revealed that electricity consumption has reached historic levels, resulting in frequent power outages in the community.
Residents and businesses have been complaining about the frequent and unplanned power outages that have been causing many inconveniences on a daily basis.
Smith said the outages are caused by the fact that residents are using more electricity than before, forcing the BVIEC to offload some users in order to maintain the resources they have.
“Complicating matters even further is the fact that power consumption in the territory is currently at the highest levels that it has ever been. Coping with the situation has forced the corporation and some of our public partners to take steps to manage the load on the system so that we can maintain general power to the territory,” Smith said in a joint press release by the government and BVIEC.
Power outages affecting water supply affecting
The General Manager said the Seven Seas desalination plant consumes four megawatts of energy when operating at full capacity and that in order to regulate the load on the power system, it has become necessary for the desalination plant to be taken offline for certain periods. He said during these times, water production is interrupted and its supply to customers is impacted.
“We appreciate that persons would have endured frustration due to the present situation, but we apologise and we are asking the public to be patient with us as we carry out the necessary work to restore the power plant to its optimal load carrying capacity,” he said.
Dr. Smith is also appealing to the public to conserve electricity by reducing their consumption of the commodity. He said this will lower their electricity bill and contribute to lowering the load on the power system, which in turn will assist in reducing the disruptions to the electricity and water supply.
Electricity troubles will soon end
In the meantime, the government and BVIEC have promised that the territory’s electricity troubles will soon be over.
Works Minister Kye Rymer said officials are working assiduously to restore power-generating capacity to optimum levels.
The minister gave the assurance that the technical and operational issues that are affecting the reliability of the electrical and water supply are receiving the highest priority attention from the government and the Corporation.
“Providing reliable and dependable utilities to the territory is paramount to everyone. We appreciate that the current issues are inconveniencing the public. This includes interruption of the water supply. For this, we apologise. We are working tirelessly to resolve the issues, but we need the public to bear with us while the solution is put in place.”
According to the statement issued by the government and BVIEC, one of the largest generators in the territory is being overhauled while another generator is poised to be rectified by specialists from the manufacturers.
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When is soon?
“In the meantime, the government and BVIEC have promised that the territory’s electricity troubles will soon be over.”
Never a real firm promise from these jokers, just some future promise that they can’t be held accountable for.
Each home had the chance to get solar power after Irma, but government rejected the offer
We in trouble as a territory we in hurricane season and God forbids anything comes our way we will be in more trouble. The government needs to build a substation in the east side to start sharing the load for east , virgin Gorda and the other islands.
Kye and Neil = 2 waste ah times
this place is going down the drain, no growth since i was a boy, it is worse now in many respects than since the time of h.l.stoutt
“In the meantime, the government and BVIEC have promised that the territory’s electricity troubles will soon be over” hahahahahahaha!!
“In the meantime, the government and BVIEC have promised that the territory’s electricity troubles will soon be over” hahahahahahaha!!
If every time power went you didn’t have any cellular phone service would that be acceptable?
There is a natural way to produce energy in these already heated islands…solar panels and hydropower systems. The planet is not going to get any cooler but if we continue to act ignorant and depend on machines we will get nowhere. stop making excuses and allow for homes and businesses to install solar panels. instead of purchasing bits and pieces for the Electrical Plant invest in Hydroeletric Power system which uses water to power many countries…research much???????
WE ARE F**KED!!! That’s it, that’s all!!!
Electricity ,water , good roads , new incinerator & HONESTY in government are all on there way but to where certainly not here.
Solar panels yes but hydro power needs a river and reservoir
Been a former BVIEC linesman, my take on the situation is that the corporation need to purchase as much as 5 containerized generator for emergency back up in times of emergency down time and transient, don’t be fool by green energy which is no way reliable due to weather variability. While it helps its not the panacea.
Solar panel and wind generator at homes will help the corporation with the transient in short term to stabilize the generation from under frequency that trip it offline, but not an answer due to weather variability.
Well Sa! There are so many issues of great importance, and the Government took $250,000 plus dollars and promote free concert that was not neccessary for the moment. Where are their priorities lies. Wasteful spending, we need accountability.
one thing we know is that Neil will tell the truth. Thank you Dr. Smith for your honesty and we know that your heart is with the people. Give frequent updates on your progress to your customers. Let the Board know that you need to do your job by giving those updates, and if the Chairman is watching this, please let Dr. Smith do his job and provide updates to the people of this territory. We do not expect the truth from our Representatives, but they will blame you, so do your jobs.
“Works Minister Kye Rymer said officials are working assiduously to restore power-generating capacity to optimum levels.”
So what exactly is it that mashup down at the plant?
Wow really and your government out here keep big party with 250.000 ,this same money could use to help fix something but this is the government ayo people’s vote in so what ever them do ayo got to take it for a next 4yrs smh when it is this government going to get them act together and focused on the important things in this place ,he just up and down waisting tax payers hard working money ,and still can’t pays the civil servants them it’s time we the people’s of this country holds these politicians with fire to there feets too much nonsense.
“Here’s why residents can’t get reliable electricity and water” NO planning for the future.
Don’t these guys know with the summers getting hotter the power consumption will increase, you cannot ask the populace to cut back when they are been cooked in this hot weather, the corporation needs to have a standby power source that can be used when the power usage spikes.
Again why our GOVERNMANTS Always plan for today not the future down the road expansions/developments always behind the eight ball.Why?Our Leaders are not leaders you put a lunatic over health/A square in a circle hole over finance/a sleeper over comm/works/Education is no where may God get involve soon
Leroy was buying alot of new vehicles instead of maintaining the system that is why.truth is truth.
We cannot meet the electrical power needs of our growing economy because we have failed to invest in our infrastructure.
Make it easier to put up solar. stop putting roadblocks in and extend the zero import duty on solar equipment.
Presently BVIEC is scaring people of by making it hard to get Solar permits, FOR NO REASON!!!
SOlar works great here and has a very reasonable pay back period. 5-6 years and then you have free electricity!
THAT’S BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO FORESIGHT…
the people of these islands sit back year after year and take this nonsense too much, change will come when the entire population hit the streets in protest against this wickedness
Continuous developments with the same electrical and water supply= Total failures in meeting the daily demands
But there are no solar farms or wind farms , things we have lots of and which would provide almost free power.
And the electricity company demands that you must submit any plans to use such things to them for approval. So far they have approved 9 small installations over many years.
The reason there is no electricity is that the people involved are grossly incompetent and that the people who make lots of money out of supplying diesel are the government and its cronies.
@ lol, that minister dont know the difference between shitz and co co if you ask me lmao!!
Let ne generator s**t the bed and BVI will never catch up.
The next move the corporation need to move to is hotline work, when I was there certain barehand technique was us at low voltage level, if the medium voltage is worked live it would be less power interruptions.
Read this article below:
https://bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/minister-vanterpool-update-bvi-electricity-corporation-s-phase-v-completion-and
Government put in place safeguards for all of this and more by expanding the capacity of our power infrastructure in 2017.
These are lies from our government, they just can’t maintain what they have due to poor governance of these systems. Period.
I am sure that Both organizations have plans years after this one. The problem is like a house. Don’t just build it; repair and maintain as you go. Upgrade too because we are growing. Funding might be the problem?
There is already a substation in east end at long swamp… or are you talking bout a power station with generators?
Diesel generators are minimally efficient, most expensive and extremely polluting. There is almost constant trade wind and almost constant sun. Where is the vision? Electric vehicles must be made mandatory as well and vehicles can be charged in the early morning hours at low peak hours. So what’s the answer? BVI Government: a new diesel generator, more spare parts, more pollution, expensive diesel etc etc. Where there is no vision the people will perish
What are we, living in a bubble?
The solutions are out there and cheaper than the current poisonous system.
We have wind and we have sun. We just don’t have governments that do the smart thing. Always the stupid thing because someone controlling the strings benefits.
Winter soon come.
Incompetence