More Blackouts as Electricity Corporation fixes generator problems
Blackouts? A distant memory? Not just yet!
Over the last few weeks, residents here were once again forced to suffer
the inconvenience and frustration of not knowing just when
they will have electricity at their homes and places of business.
In a statement made in the Legislative Council February 16th on the Phase
III Development Programme at the BVI Electricity
Corporation, Minister of Communications and Works the Honourable J. Alvin
Christopher reported that the new generators nos. 5
and 6 would have been on line by the end of the month, with generator
no. 7 on line by the end of this month.
This would have brought an end to the frequent power outages that plagued
the territory persistently last year. “Unfortunately, it
appears that the best laid plans can still go awry,” he told the
House on Tuesday as he gave a further update on the situation.
The Minister said on May 9th, Rolls Royce Power Engineering officially
informed BVIEC that they had experienced connecting rod
failures on similar Allen engines at two of their African locations in
Tanzania and Mali. “Based on the information gathered and
simulations conducted after these two failures which occurred a week and
a half apart during the month of April, Rolls Royce has now
deemed it necessary to redesign the connecting rods of the engines,”
Hon. Christopher reported.
According to Rolls Royce’s predicted schedule, this redesign will
take at least 18 months. It is understood that the company is making
a temporary modification to the present connecting rods, which they feel
will alleviate some of the stresses off the rod and enable the
engines to be run. The first set of connecting rods from unit 5 has already
been dispatched to Miami, Florida, USA to be modified.
“Rolls Royce have stated that they are committed to the completion
of this project and are exploring all options in order to safeguard
BVIEC’s position because of this new development,” the Minister
of Communications and Works told the House.
Through a Memorandum of Understanding to the BVIEC, Rolls Royce proposed
a plan to supply generation through an operation
regime utilizing the Allen units and alternate sources of power (rental
generators), until such time that the project can be completed
with the new redesigned connecting rods installed in all three units.
The company has reportedly said it will take responsibility for the operation
of the Allen units, which will be run with a 500 hours
inspection cycle imposed for the modified connecting rods and will replace
suspect rods as necessary.
The Managing Director of Rolls Royce’s reciprocating engine business
will visit the territory within the next three weeks and will make
a public statement on the situation.
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