Electricity should be restored from the marina to the police station in Canouan by next week, while Mayreau would be the week after, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has said, citing the CEO of VINLEC, Vaughn Lewis.
In Union Island, it could take a further 10 weeksto have electricity available nearer to the power station and in Clifton going towards the road to Ashton following the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl on July 1.
Gonsalves, however, warned that while electricity would be available, it might not be connected to buildings in light of the damage caused by the category 4 storm, which damaged or destroyed 95% of buildings in the Southern Grenadines.
“Because the inspectorate will not connect the buildings until the buildings are in order to be connected,” Gonsalves said, adding that the buildings have to be inspected as liability issues arise.
“… the electricity company can’t do a hook-up until the building is inspected. Of course, that would facilitate a number of private people beginning themselves with their own roofs and so on.”
Gonsalves said the government has to be in a position where it “give a little assistance.
“Of course, there are some people we have to start from scratch because they can’t help themselves,” he said, adding that rebuilding after the category 4 storm is going to require “hundreds of millions of dollars”.
Gonsalves said that in Union Island, where the power station is badly damaged, assessments are being done to repair the station.
“… and the pace at which they move is going to depend on how much assistance and from a technical standpoint they get from CARILEC,” he said, referring to the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation.
“Fortunately, we have a replacement generator up here in St. Vincent that we can send down; deal with one of the damaged ones — a 350 kilowatt.”
The prime minister said that generators can power substantial parts of Union Island.
“So, what is going to happen, once they have repaired the building and installed this new generator there and if they repair the generator to the extent of the damage there, you still have to put up the poles and you got to run the lines and then you have transformers.”
He said that one of the problems is that transformers are in scarce supply in the global market.
“There are some transformers which we ordered in 2000 and in 2021, they’re coming next week. The lead time on transformers is very, very long.”
Gonsalves said the government has to try to source transformers from non-traditional sources.
“Colombia and there’s even talk of trying to see if you get some from China — ones which we have not been using. But these are technical things which VINLEC will decide. But they’re conscious of the need for quick movement but it is achievable,” the prime minister said.
He said it is important that the government gets smaller generators to Union Island while the grid is restored
“… to be able to do certain things with certain facilities and for persons to be able to charge their phones.”
The government is also considering solar lights for the time being.
“You take for instance the square in Ashton and the square in Clifton, the Hugh Mulzac Square in Clifton.”
Gonsalves also said the government will also beef up the Electrical Inspectorate.
“I’ve asked the inspectorate, given the houses which are to be done and the spread, we’re probably going to need about another 50 persons who have the skills. People who are retired, not only retired from the inspectorate, but private electricians who are not necessarily doing work now,” the prime minister said.
“Plus, retired people from VINLEC who could have the skills so that you can do inspections. Because what you don’t want is you build houses, electricity is available but you don’t have enough members in the Electrical Inspectorate to inspect the hoses so that you can get the electricity.”