Basseterre, St. Kitts (March 11, 2004): The recent interruption in power supply was mainly due to a faulty circuit breaker and a problem with a device which monitors the speed of the engines that produce electricity.
This was revealed in an SKNIS interview with Power Station Engineer Austin Joseph. Mr. Joseph indicated that the problems in January developed after a circuit breaker which is designed to clear faults in the system failed. This caused the engines to trip offline as a measure of protection for themselves he stated. “In February ... where we had power outages for short periods, they were basically related to a slot connection in the speed monitoring device on the engine.”
The engineer said both problems have been addressed. He noted, however, that problems with overhead wires, measures triggered automatically by protective equipment as well as traffic accidents involving electrical poles play a part in power disruptions from time to time. The ongoing project which features the laying of new poles and power lines also makes it necessary for electrical supply loss to ensure the safety of the crewmen.
Mr. Joseph explained that at the end of the project, the reliability and the voltage of power supply will be “vastly improved.”
When asked about the capabilities of meeting the increasing demand for electricity in light of the rapid housing and commercial development projects, the electrical engineer stressed that the seven generators at the Power Station in Needmust are sufficient. He expressed a liking for the Mirlees generators acquired a few years ago.
“I like these engines,” he said. “They are good engines, their fuel efficiency is good ... and they are very reliable.”
In the event of power loss he suggests consumers purchase surge protectors or suppressors to guard their appliances from damage.
Engineer Joseph further disclosed that in terms of the electrical system St. Kitts compares favourably with our regional neighbours and stressed that island has the lowest billing rates for electricity throughout the region.
The full interview can be heard on ZIZ Radio on Tuesday, March 16, at 6:00 p.m. on the SKNIS programme In Touch. It will be rebroadcasted on Sunday, March 21, at the same time.
