~ Says grid project stagnated ~
PHILIPSBURG--Interim Director of GEBE Paul Marshall blamed the November 10 island wide black out on another short circuit and ominously reported that until GEBE is "allowed" to finalize a new high voltage transmission grid, "it will be extremely difficult to comply with the supply of reasonable service to our consumers."
According to Marshall, trenching for this grid project between the power plant and Pondfill, reached as far as the Prins Bernhard Bridge and has been stagnated for over a year. Marshall did not elaborate on why the project is stagnated or who or what is not "allowing" GEBE to proceed. Additionally, Marshall did not indicate if the general public should expect more rolling blackouts as the high season approaches.
He said: "of late we have been plagued by the main supply transmission grid being overloaded. It was foreseen that with the growing demand for electricity that this main high voltage transmission grid which supplies power in bulk to the substations on the Eastern side of the island with time would become overloaded."
He further explained that with this in mind, plans were initiated in 2007 to install a new high voltage transmission grid. It should be noted that this is the first time that GEBE has mentioned the lack of the grid as a cause for the blackouts and intermittent power outages, even in the past year that Marshall said the project has been stagnated.
It should also be noted GEBE on October 27 publicly announced that the spare parts to repair one of its new 11.3mw generators had arrived on island and would "normalize production capacity" at GEBE after it goes back online in three weeks from the end of October. "With the 11.3MW engine once again online, GEBE will be able to perform scheduled maintenance on other units and be in a better position to meet peak demand during the upcoming high season," the GEBE press release read at the time.
Whether the problems with the high voltage grid will negate any positive developments with the generator going back online remains unclear and Marshall did not provide answers to follow-up questions on Friday night.
As for the island wide blackout on November 10, a short circuit in the aforementioned grid triggered the protective devices on the production units, resulting in a total shut down around 6:45pm. Marshall said GEBE personnel "quickly" isolated the faulty section after which the start up procedure commenced and power was restored around 8:12pm to the first district. Power was restored to the last district around 9:55pm.
Local government Financial Services Authority (FSA) David Beckham Sweden Simon Cowell Lake District
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