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‘Fault in transmission network’ resulted in island-wide power outage

- according to BVIEC's Deputy General Manager, Mr Henry O. Creque
BVI Electricity Corporation's Deputy General Manager Henry O. Creque (left) said the island-wide power outage today, August 4, 2016 was due to a problem in the transmission network. Photo: VINO/File
A fault on the transmission network resulted in several engines shutting down at the Pockwood Pond Power Plant today, August 4, 2016. Photo: VINO/File
A fault on the transmission network resulted in several engines shutting down at the Pockwood Pond Power Plant today, August 4, 2016. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Electricity was off for more than two hours across the island of Tortola today, August 4, 2016 due to a problem with the transmission network, according to Deputy General Manager of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC), Mr Henry O. Creque.

The island experienced a complete shutdown from around 11: 00 A.M. “There was a fault out on the transmission network, which resulted in several engines shutting down at the Pockwood Pond Plant and then about 15 to 20 minutes later the entire plant shut down,” Mr Creque explained.

BVIEC personnel were able to restore power at around 2:00 P.M.

However, certain parts of the island were again without power around 5:30 P.M. This was because, according to Mr Creque, three engines at the Pockwood Pond Plant shut down.

Power was restored sometime around 7:00 P.M.

“All three [engines] should be back on by now and just about all customers should be back on line,” Mr Creque told Virgin Islands News Online earlier this evening.

He said the latest shutdown was due to different technical reasons. “It wasn’t because of a fault in the field this time. Two of the three engines shutting down may have been due to a lingering issue that resulted from the shutdown earlier in the day. The other one was a separate issue. Everything is stable now,” Mr Creque said.

32 Responses to “‘Fault in transmission network’ resulted in island-wide power outage”

  • Electrickshity (04/08/2016, 22:15) Like (37) Dislike (2) Reply
    How can we be celebrating emancipation when them tryin to put us back in the days when our ancestors had to use candles
    • All I can say, (04/08/2016, 22:38) Like (19) Dislike (0) Reply
      LOL, with this first comment, I might as well blow out my candle and go to bed. Hahahaha, LOL!
  • ABC (04/08/2016, 22:33) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Poor we on this gang
  • Son of the Spoil (04/08/2016, 23:19) Like (39) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let us say what the real problem is...A failure of successive governments to invest in upgrades starting with the disastrous fiasco with the Rolls Royce Engines 10 years ago and the failure of government.

    The BVIEC is doing the best it can with the $hitty hand that Government has dealt it. Let us lay blame squarely at the hands of the politicians and there continued waste of public funds. With all of their mess they have the gall to stand up and chat froth about independence. Let us start with making the country independent of their waste and tomfoolery!
    • Crap (05/08/2016, 01:54) Like (10) Dislike (17) Reply
      This has nothing to do with govt its bad management at BVIEC.
      • pay bills (05/08/2016, 06:32) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
        If the government would pay their power bills we would not be having this problem as they are the biggest consumer in these islands
      • Son of the Spoil (05/08/2016, 08:17) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
        No it is the politicians wasting money on poorly managed pet projects and not investing in infrastructure
    • On Point! (05/08/2016, 07:29) Like (20) Dislike (1) Reply
      The BVI have the worst track record of buying value for money. These crap they keep buying cannot handle the growing demands of our country. Who listening? Is the money actually going into the engines or into people's pockets? What's really going on in this place?
    • Really (05/08/2016, 07:59) Like (2) Dislike (7) Reply
      Stop blaming it on the government I agree with Crap
  • Jamdown (04/08/2016, 23:44) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dem pollute dem yard to the point weh dem haffi wear buy extra flash light and candle ina tis place for almost 24 hr round the clock to dam light .
  • Thankful (04/08/2016, 23:47) Like (16) Dislike (9) Reply
    Thank you very much for your hard work. We appreciate your dedication to restoring power so that our lives would be more comfortable and enjoyable.
    God bless and keep you and the entire staff safe.
  • wize up (05/08/2016, 03:59) Like (26) Dislike (0) Reply
    The focus of government(s) needs to shift: to much time spent on foreign affairs and not enough focus on home affairs.....in 2016 and our people have to stay with out electricity for hours like back in the 70s BUT some amongst us busy jesting to saving sharks not only that, some of us busy handing out 10 million of the tax payers money to an airline while our own folks suffering: who will vacation where there is crime or lack of electricity(home affairs should be granted more attention).......

  • trrefdrfds (05/08/2016, 04:17) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    Power outages can happen as engines fall apart. What is happening now shows that the minister uses his big mouth in HOS to try and fool the people of these islands. Add insult to injury, not even to say something on the radio stations. This clearly shows that we the people of these islands are being used just for financial gain but the members is this government cares nothing about us. Spend wisely and cut out the three festivals and go back to one big festival in the capital. All that is happening is bringing in artists from other places and giving taxpayers dollars to take out of the country. When will we be emancipated and learn? The country is too small for all this rivalry especially political.
    • wize up (05/08/2016, 06:35) Like (24) Dislike (0) Reply
      @ truth...I second the motion: BVI politics is like the stock market because I watched folks became rather rich between 2011 and 2016....
  • Hmm (05/08/2016, 07:34) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    You all in trouble, not even the simple f443ing electricity you cant rectify and talking independence? dwl
  • Hate this! (05/08/2016, 08:30) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    It's always some bs! Wake up in the morning , no water to bathe my kids, plus no electricity. If it was election time everything would be up and running.
  • wow (05/08/2016, 08:31) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    And they want us to vote for independence and they can't even give us the necessities?
  • @VNO (05/08/2016, 08:34) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    VINO, some of us have no water in our homes from yesterday. Some of us don't have cistern water and rely on the street water. Please call water and sewerage and get them to answer questions.
  • CONSUMER (05/08/2016, 08:48) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yesterday it was electricity. Today it is water. I wonder what the 'breakdown' forecast for tomorrow is. The Ministry of communication and Works needs to get its act together.
  • "P" (05/08/2016, 11:04) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Creque:
    my refrigerator shut down on me know what must i do. hmmmmmmmm. what a thing to tell the king,
  • sooooo (05/08/2016, 11:05) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Are we the paying customers going to get some type of credit on our next utility bill? Every time you turn around, current is off. Just paid them $308.72
    light bill.
    • Just saying (06/08/2016, 16:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      You pay for what you use. When power is off, you don't consume electricity. It's not like Cable TV where you have to pay in full whether you get the service or not.
  • What a wuk (05/08/2016, 11:14) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    Some Emancipation this is. And they sprucing F*** about Independence. Sha!
  • pat (05/08/2016, 11:42) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Notice the 2 ministers with the biggest mouth m n m has the most failures under their ministries
  • Dragon (05/08/2016, 13:27) Like (6) Dislike (7) Reply
    And all the fuss when it was considered to bring in people who acctualy knew how to maintain the generators???
    • @Dragon (05/08/2016, 18:15) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
      Those generators had problems from the time they got here; all the experts were here and the training was put in placed. What starts wrong, usually ends wrong. Time to find money for a complete upgrade.
  • wow (05/08/2016, 13:41) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    the bvi has a third world infrastructure
  • power to the people (05/08/2016, 17:06) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    There was a bid put out almost 2 years ago to upgrade that power plant but it was put on hold.
    As a number of people pointed out the infrastructure is so out of date these issues are only going to get worse as time goes by. We need to invest in projects like this and water just to meet the existing demands, never mind the future growth. Without basic infrastructure we will all be in the dark and thirsty!
    • faulty from the get-go (05/08/2016, 17:38) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
      These generators were faulty and given problems from the get-go, with all the experts who have already been brought in here working on them, they still given problems. What type of insurance did they have? Maybe the people who they were purchased from and the purchasers, could have given us a 6 for a 9?
  • Soon (05/08/2016, 17:56) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    If they don't get this problem fixed, the whole Island is going to be in darkness for a very long time.


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