Vinlec says that in Bequia, while there has been damage to the power station compound and some secondary buildings, the main power station is intact following Hurricane Beryl.
Vinlec CEO Vaughn Lewis said the team on Bequia is small but very committed, and they are trying to get power back to some key facilities today, including the hospital and the mortuary.
”They’re trying to get power back there, but the main thing they’ll be doing is trying as quickly as possible to restore the main feeders. In Bequia, we have three 11 kV feeders that serve our customers. They will endeavor to repair all those feeders”.
“To do so safely, they will have to disconnect virtually all the transformers that go to customers, because part of the challenge we are facing with this stand is that there are a lot of lines underground, and you don’t want to energize lines and then create a hazard for people.”
“There are numerous instances where people’s homes have had their service lines compromised. Again, if you engage in such situations, you run the risk of severely injuring or electrocuting someone. Numerous houses have sustained damage”.
Lewis said the supervisor on the ground told him that he believes 15 to 20% of the house roofs in Bequia may have been compromised, but that’s just a rough estimate.
“In cases like this, where the homes are compromised, they would have to be disconnected before we energize an area to ensure the safety of the occupants and guard against potential issues like fires and so on,” Lewis said.
