A fronted electrical box awaiting its signage.
SABA--Adopt-A-Box is a new project aimed at showcasing Saba’s natural and historic beauty. The distribution boxes created by the power lines’ move underground, will be fitted with informative plaques showcasing nearby points of interest.
It is ultimately hoped by Lynn Costenaro, the project’s founder and co-owner of Sea Saba Dive Centre, that by doing so the transformed boxes will provide an informative walking tour for locals and tourists alike. A wind turbine proposal is currently being discussed to help Saba secure its position as “The Unspoiled Queen.”
A sign detailing the transformation of Windwardside.
An electrical distribution box prior to being “fronted”.
Since the formation of the Saba Electric Company in August 1959, meeting the power needs of the five-square mile island of Saba has been a tough enterprise. It was not until 1963 that the first power flowed. The rugged volcanic island located in the Eastern Caribbean required creative solutions to meet the challenges of the twentieth century. Even its single road, known locally as the “Road that couldn’t be built,” was an arduous project taking from 1938 and 1963 to complete. The lack of large-scale development ensures Saba retains its quaint and enduring character.
Since the early 1960s, the Saba Electric Company has transitioned away from its original diesel generator towards a more sustainable future. Beginning in 2010, and with generous financial support from the Dutch government, Saba has made great strides. Two solar fields have been constructed. The first, built near Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport – the world’s shortest international runway – was completed in early 2020. While the other was added to a public water cistern near Saba’s medical school. Together, they provide enough power to meet the island’s daily energy needs.
The island has also updated its power transmission infrastructure. All of Saba’s power lines have been moved underground to provide greater security from storms and it also makes for better photographs.
Saba will reopen to tourism on May 1, 2021 following a vaccination drive. For more information and to become a private or corporate sponsor, contact Sea Saba (www.seasaba.com).
