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  by pltm
• Sep 17, 2016
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(PLTM) - Communications and Works Minister, Hon. Mark Vanterpool said that he will not promise residents a total level of comfort when it comes to providing a stable power supply in the coming months.

The Minister told reporters on Thursday, September 15 during the tour of the BVI Electricity Corporation's (BVIEC) Phase V Power Development at Pockwood Pond, that he will not do so until the three diesel-fired Wartsila generators are up and running next year.

"I don't want to as Minister promise any total comfort for the next couple of months where we will be more comfortable, until early next year when these engines are up and running so that we can then have additional power," he said.

"So if we take down an engine for maintenance, we have that additional power, and that will be for a couple of years until we come to another peak demand. And we are making provisions for another engine in the future, or some other alternate means, more stable power supply," he stated.

However, Deputy Manager of the corporation, Mr. Henry Creque said that in the past week, there have been fewer power interruptions.

"We had maybe a good week or so with very few interruptions and we look forward to when these (engines) actually come on at the end of December....By the end of January we expect there to be a much more stable supply," Creque stated.

Meanwhile, Minister Vanterpool said during summer they faced a much more difficult time providing stable power supply to consumers.

"Every summer because we are close to what you call peak load. Summer is the highest demand for power in the Territory because of the heat, everybody using their air conditions and whatever else. So the demand goes much higher and therefore, if you are on the edge of your supply, which is what we were before these engines were installed, any small problem or issue in the field will cause some difficulties," he explained.

The Minister added, "On top of that, there is what you call a regular maintenance schedule for engines, the bigger engines, that if you don't turn them off and maintain them, it takes probably four weeks."

He said, "So during this summer we took down number 8, one of the biggest engines. We waited until after festival to do it....that was not available to back up any problem. That was some of the reasons we had some difficulties."

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