Dominica Electricity Services Ltd. (DOMLEC) has restored electricity to the vast majority of customers across the island following a nationwide power outage that occurred shortly before noon on Wednesday.
According to a statement issued by the company’s Public Relations Officer, Ayeaola George, the interruption was caused by a trip at the Geothermal Power Plant, which led to a complete shutdown of the national electricity grid.
Following the system collapse, restoration efforts began immediately. DOMLEC activated generation units at the Fond Cole Power Station to begin re-energising the network and gradually restoring service to affected communities, noted George.
The company reported that power was returned in stages using generation from both the Fond Cole and Sugar Loaf Power Stations. This phased approach allowed crews to safely bring sections of the island back online as conditions across the grid stabilized.
DOMLEC advised that electricity had been restored to all areas except the section stretching from Picard to Ti-Bay. The company indicated that customers in that area were expected to have service restored by 6:00 PM.
The company expressed regret for the disruption and thanked customers for their patience throughout the restoration process.
DOMLEC also acknowledged the efforts of its operational teams, including system operators, engineers, line crews and support personnel, who worked to restore electricity as quickly and safely as possible.
The company further extended its appreciation to staff at the Geothermal Power Plant for their cooperation during the recovery effort and for working alongside DOMLEC to ensure the safe restoration of the national grid.
In its statement, management asserted that the geothermal energy project remains a major national undertaking and acknowledged that challenges are expected as the facility moves through its final stages of development and testing.
The statement said the company continues to learn from operational experiences and is implementing measures aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
According to DOMLEC, the geothermal facility is currently in the final phase of commissioning. The company expects continuous geothermal power generation to begin during June as preparations continue for full commercial operations.
Ayeola George’s audio statement below:
