~ GEBE: No explosion at power plant ~
CAY BAY--Many residents and businesses on the Dutch side of the island endured a day of erratic power supply on Tuesday as utility company GEBE grappled with a series of technical issues. At one point, it had to deal with the Fire Department due to reports suggesting an explosion had occurred. Load shedding persisted well into Tuesday night, with several areas experiencing multiple outages.
GEBE denied reports that an explosion had occurred at its power plant in Cay Bay, indicating that loud noises were due to load-shedding. GEBE said in a statement that its power plant had experienced an issue with its water intake system, leading to compulsory load-shedding in several areas. The company explained that during load-shedding the power supply to certain areas is temporarily de-energized and re-energised, which can result in “loud and unusual noises” coming from the engines at the power plant. This is a customary practice that is executed with technical expertise, the company said.
“Unfortunately, due to these noises, a premature call was made to the Fire Department suggesting that an explosion had occurred. We assure the public that this information is false,” GEBE said in its statement issued after The Daily Herald enquired about the matter.
“There was no explosion at the NV GEBE power plant. We understand that false alarms can sow unnecessary fear and concern, and we apologise for any distress caused. We kindly request that the public refrain from spreading misinformation or rumour-mongering. We take the safety of our residents and the integrity of our services very seriously,” GEBE said.
GEBE said the issue momentarily caused panic among some members of the public. “Our team is working diligently to resolve the issue with our water intake system and restore full power to the affected areas as soon as possible. We are committed to providing our community with quality, reliable and safe power supply. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time,” GEBE said.
