WILLEMSTAD – Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas and Aqualectra CEO Neysa Isenia have apologized to the Curaçao community for the continuing electricity shortages, as new details reveal that four generating units were taken out of service following a major technical failure linked to incorrect parts supplied by the manufacturer.
Aqualectra was forced to implement scheduled load shedding again Tuesday as insufficient available generating capacity left the island increasingly dependent on wind energy.
The underlying problem dates back to a failure at the Dokweg II power plant late last year. According to the information provided, incorrect components supplied by the manufacturer caused what was described as a “catastrophic failure,” during which the engine block of one generating unit broke completely.
The problem had broader consequences because the same components had been installed in three other generating units. As a result, all four units were taken out of operation.
Their loss has reduced available generating capacity at Dokweg from approximately 75 megawatts to just over 37 MW, significantly reducing Aqualectra's ability to meet Curaçao's electricity demand using its conventional generation capacity.
Because responsibility for the failure was not attributed to Aqualectra, the manufacturer's insurer has since paid compensation of nearly Cg 20 million.
The utility has taken several temporary measures as it attempts to manage the shortage. Regularly scheduled maintenance has been suspended for the time being, allowing Aqualectra to concentrate on keeping as much generating capacity available as possible.
Discussions are also underway with government-owned 2Bays/CRU about potentially using gas turbines at the former Isla refinery site to provide additional electricity generation.
For now, however, the stability of Curaçao's electricity supply remains partly dependent on weather conditions.
When winds weaken during the evening and overnight hours, electricity production from the island's wind turbines falls. With conventional generating capacity already constrained, Aqualectra can then be forced to disconnect neighborhoods temporarily to keep electricity supply and demand balanced and prevent a larger system failure.
The utility has experienced this situation repeatedly in recent days, leading to rotating outages across different parts of Curaçao.
Pisas and Isenia have now both apologized for the inconvenience and disruption caused to households and businesses.
A longer-term solution is expected with the completion of Aqualectra's new Salu Power Plant. Construction of the 40 MW facility is reportedly progressing according to schedule, with the plant expected to become operational toward the end of this year.
Once Salu is in operation, Curaçao's total available conventional generating capacity is expected to rise to approximately 190 MW. That would provide considerably more room above the island's peak electricity demand and reduce the system's vulnerability when wind production falls or individual generating units are unavailable.
Until the additional capacity becomes available and the damaged units return to service, however, Curaçao remains vulnerable to further load shedding, particularly during periods of high electricity demand combined with weak winds.