UPDATE: Power restored to Tortola following island-wide outage
Speaking with this news site moments ago, Ag. General Manager of the BVI Electricity Corporation, Henry O. Creque explained that a pipe was ruptured by a backhoe at the Pockwood Pond location.
Creque related that this led to a system-wide shut down as experienced within the Territory earlier today.
A release submitted on behalf of the BVIEC stated that the ruptured pipe which experienced “challenges”, is used to take water from the sea to cool generators at the company’s Pockwood Pond plant location.
“We have the power almost fully restored now,” Creque related.
According to Creque, while most areas in Virgin Gorda have already seen their power restored, the remaining customers on the island will be returned to power in a few short hours.
When contacted, Nathaniel Penn, Transmission and Distribution foreman at the BVIEC, said he could not offer a comment at this time.
See previous story posted May 21, 2013:
Island-wide power outage hits Tortola
- Problems being experienced at Pockwood Pond power station
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Some homes and businesses across the Virgin Islands experienced a total electrical power shut down earlier today, May 21, 2013 that sent some persons scrambling for backup support to continue their tasks.
Deputy General Manager at the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC), Henry O. Creque, confirmed that the current power shutdown is an island-wide situation and happened after difficulties experienced at the company's Pockwood Pond plant.
"We have some issues now at the Pockwood Pond power station but I'm trying to get a [better] update at this time," Creque stated.
It remains unclear what the specific issues are, as Creque declined to comment on this when pressed but said more information would be made available at a later time.
The Deputy GM also said he could not give this news site an estimated time that power is likely to be restored.
Our correspondents in Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda also reported that the sister islands are without power as well. Creque noted however, that Anegada was able to evade the power outages experienced by other areas across the VI.
Efforts to contact BVIEC's General Manager, Leroy A. E. Abraham, proved unsuccessful up to post time.
The power outage occurred sometime after 9 A.M. today.
26 Responses to “UPDATE: Power restored to Tortola following island-wide outage”
When aint water tis light yaaaawn me packing up and leaving tis sorry r@$$ place