BVIEC MOVING TO REDUCE POWER OUTAGES

Plans are underway to expand the Territory’s electrical infrastructure, which will reduce the frequent power outages affecting residents.

On Tuesday, the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) received tenders from two reputable companies for the development of Phase Four of the Pock Wood Pond facility.

The project is expected to include the addition of one replacement engine, the upgrading of the seawater cooling system and the extension of the System Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) operation at Pock Wood Pond. SCADA is a process that collects data from sensors at a remote location and sends them to a central computer for management and control automation.

Mr. Leroy Abraham, Director of BVIEC, told the Department of Information and Public Relations that the project is designed to solve technical problems at the Pock Wood Pond station.

“Our goal is to address the issue of power outages,” added Mr. Abraham. ”Based on operational problems we have been experiencing over the past five years, we have included in the tenders the cost for replacing one of the engines.”

He said, over the next month, consultants will review the tenders to ensure that all technical specifications are satisfied.

The corporation has been having problems with the engines since they were purchased in 1999, and two of the three engines initially failed reliability tests. They were being tested to see if they could run for seven days straight without a breakdown, but developed fuel, exhaust and water leaks. They later passed the reliability tests.

According to Mr. Abraham, the Rolls Royce generators had to be modified in 2002 due to flaws in the connecting rods. Under the contract with BVIEC, Rolls Royce was responsible for maintaining the engines until they were handed over. The engines are now covered by a warranty.