BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – RESIDENTS of and business owners in Basseterre were once again adversely affected by a series of power outages that started early yesterday morning (Dec. 11) and ended at approximately 3:00 p.m.
Yesterday’s power outages followed on the footsteps of Wednesday’s (Dec. 8) island-wide disruption. However, unlike their quick response in providing the cause of Wednesday’s outages, management of the Electricity Department is yet to publicly disclose the reason for yesterday’s and if they were also experienced island-wide.
Speaking to SKNVibes, one Newtown resident expressed her disgust with the outages.
“We had power outage on Wednesday from around four o’clock the afternoon until eight the night. I had to go to work with rumpled clothes and my boss wanted to send me back home because he said I was not properly dressed to serve the customers, who included visitors to our island. That was an embarrassing moment for me, even though I explained to him why I was dressed like that. However, my place of work has a generator and he provided me with a heater to make myself presentable.”
Another resident of the same area also voiced his disgust with the Electricity Department.
“Right now the Electricity Department get a disconnection crew driving around the island. I ain’t owe them no money and sometimes when they don’t send my bill, I would go to the Complaint Department and collect them, So, if I don’t owe them, why is it that they always inconveniencing me? The funny thing is that although you would get many hours of power outage, the bill still remains the same.”
A Conaree resident said she has to purchase a new stove in order to fulfill the demands of her small business. She told this media house that her Maytag-brand stove works with both gas and electricity, but Wednesday’s power outage, which she described as “having fairy lights before Christmas”, was damaged beyond repair and only the burners upon which she cooks are functioning with gas.
A release from the Electricity Department addressed Wednesday’s island-wide loss of power and noted that the protection panel at the Needsmust Power Station was activated.
“Immediate investigations were carried out by engineers and field technicians and it was subsequently discovered that the cause of the outage was a major electrical fault at Frigate Bay.
“The process of restoration began almost immediately but was hindered by an electrical problem on the Sandy Point feeder. Said problem was responsible for causing a disruption in supply to some areas which had already been restored,” the release said.
It stated that by 8:30 p.m. the supply of electricity was restored to the entire island except a section of Frigate Bay.
“Preliminary assessments indicate that said area will be without power until Saturday 11 December due to the extent of the damage caused by electrical fault,” it added.
Management of the Electricity Department however offered an apology to all of its consumers for that particular disruption in the supply of electricity.
