• Minister says water in fuel led to new shutdown

• Sears: $600,000 spent on restoration efforts

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Writer

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A CONTAMINATED supply of fuel led to a new shutdown of a power unit in Andros as restoration efforts continued following the fire that severely damaged BPL’s North Andros Power Station last week.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Minister of Works Alfred Sears revealed that shortly after one of the mobile generator units was brought online it had to be shut down due to contaminated fuel.

He said: “Power was partially restored when the 1.2MW was made available after 7pm on Monday evening. On Sunday, BPL also received a fuel supply. The fuel was contaminated, containing water causing the 1.2MW unit to shut down just after midnight on Tuesday.”

“The 1MW unit was not fueled from this source and the 1.6MW unit was not started. This resulted in outages for all areas of North Andros except Nicholl’s Town and Conch Sound.”

Mr Sears added that although 90 percent of North Andros has had power restored, the damaged generator needs fuel injector replacements and the remaining generators are currently running on 80 percent capacity to prevent overloading.

He said: “While the 1.2MW unit requires fuel injector replacements the 1.6MW unit that was also impacted by the contaminated fuel was repaired, and customers were incrementally brought onto supply starting at about 3pm on Tuesday, July 11.”

“With both the 1.6MW and 1MW units only utilising about 300KW, 90 percent of the customers in North Andros are on supply. Both machines have been restricted to just 80 percent of their capacity to prevent overloading. BPL anticipates that when the fuel injectors are replaced on the 1.2MW unit and further generation integration occurs, all customers will have supply restored.”

Mr Sears said two of the generators were contracted from Mechanical and Electrical Ltd (M&E), while another was sourced from another Family Island.

He said: “Mechanical and Electrical Ltd (M & E), the local Caterpillar dealer, was contracted to supply mobile units. M&E was able to supply two units, 1.2MW and 500KW. These units were shipped from New Providence on the M/V Lady Rosalind and arrived at Morgan’s Bluff, North Andros, after midnight on Thursday, July 6.”

“A third unit, 1.6MW, a part of BPL’s Family Island operations, was shipped to the island on the M/V President Taylor and arrived in North Andros on Thursday evening.”

Mr Sears said BPL has spent about $600,000 on the restoration efforts in North Andros so far and that once all of the units are online the total capacity in the area will be 3.8MW.

He said: “To date, BPL estimates that its current cost for restoring supply to North Andros is approximately $600,000. This amount is inclusive of generation purchased, auxiliary parts as well as shipment costs. But the final amount will be determined in due course.”

“BPL anticipates that the 1.6MW, 1.2MW and 1MW units will provide the supply to North Andros and backup. North Andros’ peak demand is approximately 2MW. Once the second and third units are integrated, BPL’s installed capacity in North Andros will be 3.8MWs.”

Tribune Business contacted Mr Franklyn Wilson, chairman of FOCOL, to ascertain if he was informed of the contaminated fuel supplied to BPL. He indicated he was not aware of the situation and therefore could not offer comment.