Philipsburg: --- GEBE the utility company providing electricity to the island has warned that there would be some more loads shedding in the coming days, until the necessary parts for DG number 9 and 12 get the required parts from overseas. Even though the company managed to get the DG 12 running again it’s running at low capacity.
Commercial Manager Steve Duzanson told reporters that presently demands for electricity is equivalent to the production capacity of GEBE. Duzanson said that even though two new generators are already on island they would not be up and running before the end of the year. The new generators he said still has to be assembled which he said would take a few months.
Duzanson said GEBE is expected to go back to normal sometime by the end of the week or early next week when the necessary parts arrived and the repair work is completed.
Duzanson said their peak demand registered last week was at 54 megawatts while the company’s production capacity is the same. He said the company as is running at full capacity at any types of problems encountered would cause some sort of load shedding until those problems are rectified. Duzanson said the company was aware that they were running tight based on their demands but the recent mechanical problems just made the situation worst a major issue for the company.
He further explained that most of generators are now running at full capacity and the generators now operational are over 20 years old which he believes attributed to some of the problems they are experiencing.
Duzanson said the company does have a maintenance program in place and defused rumors which stated that there is lack of mechanical engineers at the company.
The commercial manager also called on residents to install surge protectors to protect their sensitive equipments. He said the company does not compensate people for damaged electronics and felt residents should take the necessary precautions.