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Sargassum seaweed causes system shutdown @ BVIEC power plant

Clearing of sargassum seaweed at Pockwood Pond this morning, June 5, 2023. BVIEC has said the seawater system which supplies cooling water to 55% of the diesel generators at the Henry Wilfred ‘Freddie’ Smith Power Station at Pockwood Pond became compromised by sargassum seaweed on June 4, 2023. Photo: VINO
The Henry Wilfred ‘Freddie’ Smith Power Station at Pockwood Pond. With the Virgin Islands experiencing hot days and nights, it did not make it any comfortable for residents when power went out for some time in certain areas across the territory on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Photo: VINO/File
The Henry Wilfred ‘Freddie’ Smith Power Station at Pockwood Pond. With the Virgin Islands experiencing hot days and nights, it did not make it any comfortable for residents when power went out for some time in certain areas across the territory on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Photo: VINO/File
Up to this morning, Monday, June 5, 2023, clearing of the area of sargassum seaweed at Pockwood Pond was being done. Photo: VINO
Up to this morning, Monday, June 5, 2023, clearing of the area of sargassum seaweed at Pockwood Pond was being done. Photo: VINO
POCKWOOD POND, Tortola, VI- With the Virgin Islands experiencing hot days and nights, it did not make it any comfortable for residents when power went out for some time in certain areas across the territory on Sunday, June 4, 2023.

The culprit, according to reports reaching our news centre, is sargassum seaweed.

Minister for Communications and Works Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5) told our news centre he was informed by the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) that at 4:26 PM on Sunday, the seawater system which supplies cooling water to 55% of the diesel generators at the Henry Wilfred ‘Freddie’ Smith Power Station at Pockwood Pond became compromised by sargassum seaweed.

BVIEC further stated, according to the Minister, that the units which depend on this system shut down, causing a number of outages in various areas.

Clearing of sargassum seaweed ongoing

BVIEC had assured Hon Rymer it is working diligently to have the issue rectified as soon as possible.

Up to this morning, Monday, June 5, 2023, clearing of the area of sargassum seaweed at Pockwood Pond was being done.

"We have identified the issue and will manage it until we are able to implement a solution. Power is fully restored," General Manager of BVIEC Dr Neil M. Smith told our news centre this morning.

20 Responses to “Sargassum seaweed causes system shutdown @ BVIEC power plant”

  • resident (05/06/2023, 09:14) Like (47) Dislike (5) Reply
    This is unacceptable, we know the seaweed is an issue do something to prevent it not just react to it
    • TO BVIEC (05/06/2023, 14:10) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
      Get one of your workers to inform us via Social Media and other media as an unexpected outage occurs.

      This is ridiculous having to wonder what is going on and when electricity would be restored...people have things to do.

      Do better where that is concerned especially since you rarely, if ever answer the phone.
  • South wind (05/06/2023, 09:21) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    is the culprit. Normally the weed moves down the channel toward the USVI except when the south wind blows it onto the south shore of Tortola.
  • Non redundancy (05/06/2023, 09:30) Like (40) Dislike (1) Reply
    Having a single now shallow not deep water intake for cooling water, the pipe having not been maintained now shortened into the surf zone ( suicidal ) with no manifold to allow a second cooling intake line to operate so essential maintenance can be completed on the first without shutting down the power station . We’ve known this for many years!
    • To Non redundancy (05/06/2023, 10:15) Like (22) Dislike (0) Reply
      Thanks for telling it like it is!
    • Agree... (05/06/2023, 11:22) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
      Why they don't just send the pipe out deeper baffles me - all the cost of shut downs/ cleaning etc could have done it 10x over. Standard BVI short sightedness.
  • hmm (05/06/2023, 10:11) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    At this point, I don't believe shhhhh they say.
  • ???? (05/06/2023, 10:25) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why can't they drop so type of barrier(floating device)to lower the amount of seagrum getting close to the equipment?
  • Remedy (05/06/2023, 10:59) Like (30) Dislike (0) Reply
    I know exactly how to solve this problem, if you want to know, here’s the answer.

    Use a conveyer roller to lift the weed from water into a truck!

    Out at sea, use floating liners to control where the weed goes, these liners can also trap the weed and cause it to sink after a few days! (Same way as controlling an oil spill at sea)

    Now pay me!
    • to remedy (05/06/2023, 11:45) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
      To do that will make too much sense for them
      • Just saying (05/06/2023, 18:33) Like (2) Dislike (5) Reply
        It’s easy to sit outside the box and talk but put some of you to manage and you can’t do it. Won’t even know where to start. Let’s encourage and pray for those in such positions. Bigger countries than the the BVI have outages all the time.
    • Curious (05/06/2023, 14:03) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      There are 2 or 3 boats sitting right there in Road Town designed for purpose. Why is it so hard to simply hire BVI Businesses for BVI Solutions????
    • Better Yet - Pay the Barges (05/06/2023, 15:34) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      Remedy, I agree with you, better yet, get the barges to retrofit with a conveyor roller and just sail around lifting the seaweed into the barges. Teh barges can pull up to land excavator loads in trucks and trucks dumped.

      1) You collect it at sea, before it can cause impact on land and beaches
      2) You put the idle barges to work
      3) You create work for the excavators and truckers
      4) You collect and store the seaweed in mass and on a scale, where you can actually figure out how to process it, recycle it or otherwise use it.
    • any shame? (07/06/2023, 20:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      thanks but yes'nt
  • Oil spill Boom (05/06/2023, 11:09) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    That’s the way it’s done in the US.
  • But (05/06/2023, 12:46) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    charter boats with generators have the same issue and the clients are being shown how to unclog the strainers, why are the workers at BVIEC not doing same.
  • bvi (05/06/2023, 13:04) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    Make sure y'all check for flesh-eating bacteria and just don't take it for granted.
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/03/sargassum-seaweed-algae-florida-bacteria-vibrio
  • cap (05/06/2023, 13:37) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    Oh, the irony. Hey government, why don’t you spend that $250,000 on REAL problems affecting the whole country, instead of a concert? Carnival isn’t a few weeks away?
  • Really? (07/06/2023, 13:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    How about something as cheap and simple as a large net that screens off that area of water?


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