ANGLEC says a key generating unit is back in operation after a mechanical fault, but some scheduled power cuts may still be necessary as testing and repairs continue.
The power company announced the update in a 3 September press release, saying the equipment “which was the primary concern” was back in service late the previous day.
ANGLEC CEO David Leonce said: “We are encouraged by the successful return of the generating unit and recognise this as an important step in our efforts to restore normal operating conditions.
At Anguilla Focus we keep our core content free for everyone – but our members get access to even more! Click here to join from just $4/month.
“Our dedicated technical teams continue to work diligently to address the remaining challenges, while ongoing testing will help us confirm the functionality and condition of the repairs.”
ANGLEC first announced that residents across Anguilla could expect daily power cuts of up to three hours in a press release on 28 August.
It said the rotating outages were needed while it worked to restore the generating units that were out of service and made arrangements to bring in new ones.
Load-shedding programme
In the earlier press release, the company said its teams were making a special effort to maintain a rotation schedule that had the least possible impact on customers.
Meanwhile, in the latest update, ANGLEC said since the original announcement, the planned load-shedding programme had only had to be implemented on one occasion.
It said the return of the faulty generating unit represented an “important step” towards restoring normal operating conditions.
“However, ongoing testing will continue this morning to verify the functionality and performance of the engine. This process will ensure that the unit remains in satisfactory operating condition,” it said.
It added that generation, operations, transmission and distribution, engineering and technical teams will closely monitor the unit and the wider electricity system throughout.
Additional generating units
The company explained that two other generating units which have been under maintenance since before the latest load-shedding programme remain offline for repair.
“ANGLEC therefore continues to carefully manage available generation capacity against customer demand and remains vigilant in monitoring system conditions,” it said in the press release.
It said load management is a “normal operational function” within the electricity sector and may be used “when necessary” to balance available generation capacity against demand.
If this becomes necessary, ANGLEC will provide advanced notice to the public through its social media channels and in coordination with its radio and media partners, wherever circumstances permit, it said.
The company said repairs are expected to be completed on or around 31 October.
“We clearly understand the inconvenience that the current situation has caused our customers, and we sincerely thank them for their patience and understanding,” Leonce said.
Government responsibility
In a statement on 28 August, opposition leader Ellis Webster blamed the government for failing to increase Anguilla’s electricity generation capacity as the island faced rotational power cuts.
He said the failure highlighted concerns about the island’s electricity infrastructure and the company’s lack of progress in securing additional equipment.
Webster also criticised the communication surrounding the power cuts, saying residents were given little warning and were not provided with clear information about expected outages.
He stressed that reliable electricity is essential to homes, businesses and the wider economy, and argued that the government has a responsibility to ensure ANGLEC remains capable of meeting demand.
ANGLEC is a publicly traded company in which the government controls the majority of the shares, with the remaining shares owned by private investors and members of the public.
