St Vincent and the Grenadines Electricity Services (Vinlec) has revealed plans for transforming the electricity supply in the Grenadines.
Representatives of the Company speaking on the Issue of Hand program on Sunday, said, there are plans for a more modern power plant to be built on the island of Bequia.
Bequia is the largest of the Grenadine islands, located nine miles south of mainland St Vincent.
The integration of solar power into the electricity supply on the island is also under consideration.
On Canouan, Vinlec said it is considering the use of renewable energy. Diesel generators have long powered the island electricity supply.
In 1994, a 1080 kW Power Plant was commissioned in Canouan. At the time, the Plant produced power to 220 customers.
The Canouan Station now provides electricity supply to just over one thousand customers and has four high-speed stationary diesel generator units. These have an installed capacity of 4,040kW.
Further south, work is moving ahead with the solar power plant on Mayreau.
VINLEC’s generation plant, which is located in Saline Bay, was commissioned in 2003 and serves one hundred and thirty-four customers.
There is a hybrid system used on the island to produce electricity. VINLEC uses diesel engines to generate electricity and there is also a solar photovoltaic (PV) and Battery Storage system which was installed in 2019.
Electricity was introduced to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 1931 by the then Crown Colony Government. At that time, the service was provided to thirty-two customers in the capital city, Kingstown, during the night.
The formation of St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) in 1961 set the pace for developing the electricity sector in the country.
During the early 1970s, St. Vincent and the Grenadines government acquired 49% shares, while 51% remained with the CDC.
The operations were further streamlined with the enactment of the Electricity Supply Act of 1973. On July 1st 1985, VINLEC became a state-owned entity when the government acquired the remaining 51% shares of the Company.
VINLEC serves just over 46,000 (March 2020) customers, and the service is accessible to 98% of the population.
The Company is celebrating 60 years of service.
