CAY BAY--The tripping of the fuel feeder unit at GEBE’s production plant in Cay Bay was the cause of a country wide power outage in St. Maarten around 10:33am on Sunday.
GEBE said in a press release issued after electricity was restored that the tripping of the fuel feeder caused a domino effect resulting in all engines being shut down.
A number of business establishments in the country, including some stores in Philipsburg, that were open at the time, resorted to using flashlights and the lights from mobile phones to guide customers inside dark stores during the outage. The heat resulted in some workers standing outside or in the doorway of their workplaces.
GEBE said in its release that after its electricity production plant experienced a total black out “personnel on duty immediately started to assess the situation and prepare for the restart of the engines according the set procedures, while other specific key field personnel reported for duty in preparation for the switching in of the cables to the different areas.”
According to the release, at around 12:24 pm, the cable feeding St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) and surrounding areas was switched in and other cables were being switched based on the load the production plant was systematically increasing to ensure the capacity for a complete reenergizing.
GEBE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kenrick Chittick said an initial investigation has shown that the fuel feeder unit tripped causing a domino effect for the shutdown of all engines. He added that further investigation will be carried out to ensure that such an incident does not reoccur. Chittick apologised for the inconvenience the total blackout may have caused to consumers and he thanked personnel on duty and those who went out to assist their colleagues to ensure the restoration of the electricity in the shortest possible time.
