Last Updated on August 26, 2022, 4:38 AM AST by Anthony Morris
SKELEC is installing underground infrastructure across the island to be more climate-resilient and withstand the devasting impacts of natural disasters due to climate change.
SKELEC’s Control, Operations and Protection Manager, Collin Brown, stressed the importance of the energy company’s underground infrastructure in a discussion treating disaster preparedness, especially in this time of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season,
“Underground infrastructure is a crucial part of a resilient electrical system. I am proud to say that, especially compared to neighbouring utility companies of similar size, whether we talk about APUA in Antigua or NEVLEC in Nevis, St Kitts is blessed. SKELEC is lucky to have a significant amount of underground infrastructure.”
He added, “Most of our infrastructure is still overhead, but I can report that for every electricity consumer in St Kitts, at least some portion of the infrastructure that provides electricity is underground.”
He said, “Whether they are fortunate enough to live in an area such as Frigate Bay or have a business in Basseterre, the entire delivery is underground. The underground infrastructure provides a much more robust electrical system than neighbouring islands.”
“During two significant storms that I think were spaced by less than two weeks, Irma and Maria, many customers in St Kitts had continuous electricity supply,” said Collin Brown.
“It is financially uneconomical and prohibitive to provide end-to-end underground infrastructure to all customers considering that it is six to eight times more expensive than overhead infrastructure. However, SKELEC continues to put new underground infrastructure in place,” added Mr Brown.
SKELEC is on a mission to transform electricity delivery across St Kitts for residential and commercial purposes. Further, Brown noted that the importance and effectiveness of SKELEC’s current underground infrastructure were evident during recent hurricanes and storms, where many customers remained with power throughout the weather disturbance.
SKELEC is the sole electricity provider in St Kitts, which seeks to supply reliable electricity at a competitive price in harmony with the local community and environment. The St Kitts Electricity Company is owned by the Government of St Kitts and Nevis and is run by a board of directors.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
