General Manager of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC), Dr Neil M. Smith, has disclosed that following investigations, the cause of frequent power outages on Virgin Gorda is due to issues with the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) System. Photo: BVIEC

(L-R) District 7 Representative, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley, Minister for Health and Social Development and General Manager of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC), Dr Neil M. Smith. Photo: Facebook

The live-line team will be sent to Virgin Gorda to conduct maintenance on the high-voltage lines in the coming weeks. Photo: BVIEC

District 7 Representative, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley, Minister for Health and Social Development, visited Dr Smith to learn more about the power outages and BVIEC’s plans. Their interaction was posted to Hon Wheatley’s official Facebook page on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. 

“We have examined the types of outages that we’ve been having and the various things that cause outages. Over the last two months, we’ve isolated them on the T&D System, which is the Transmission and Distribution System,” Dr Neil explained. 

We’ve investigated that, and we recognise that there’s some maintenance to be done on the high-voltage lines. As soon as we can get our bucket trucks prepared…I’m going to send a team, actually the live-line team that we’ve developed at the BVIEC, and they’ll be working on the Virgin Gorda high-voltage line

He said he anticipates that they will be working on the line in a few weeks

They won’t take off the power because they’re trained to work on the high-voltage lines

The Virgin Gorda community, he said, will be notified when work commences, adding, “If you see those guys, you could know what’s happening”. 

The BVIEC, he added, is not pleased with what has been happening on Virgin Gorda. “The one that burns in my memory is when we had a power outage for the whole day

1 submarine cable in operation

Dr Smith also revealed that there is only one submarine cable out of four or five to Virgin Gorda currently in operation, as the others are damaged or have been retired. 

“We had three that were working; one was damaged recently, and it seems to be damaged out in the middle of the ocean somewhere. We’ve dove on either ends, and we have to get to where the problem is. The other one was damaged close to the shore, but we have to order a cable, and we have to actually make the cable.”

That is about to be shipped, and Dr Smith is confident the work should be done by the end of summer. “The public shouldn’t notice a difference, but for us it’s a practically vulnerable time for us with just one cable. 

We appreciate the updates- Hon Wheatley

Hon Wheatley expressed appreciation to the BVIEC’s public relations team that keeps the public updated. 

“We appreciate the team updating the public as often as possible; so the power is going to be out at this time or we know the power is out. They’re trying to address the issues. So I really appreciate it.”

Dr Smith said they continue to work on their public relations. “Customer service is something that the Chairman of our board has mandated that we improve on significantly, so we’re trying to do that.” He added, however, that the best customer service BVIEC can give is “when the power is never off”. 

Dr Smith said the BVIEC is aware that Virgin Gorda is a tourism hub, a fact that is etched in their minds as visitors expect basic amenities like power and water. 

“There’s no excuse for that.”