WILLEMSTAD – Aqualectra has warned the Curaçao Business Association (VBC) that Curaçao’s electricity supply remains under severe pressure and that additional load shedding may be necessary overnight if the gas turbine operated by Curaçao Refinery Utilities (CRU) cannot be brought back into service.
In a letter to the VBC board, the utility company said several of its generating units remain in the final stages of repair, while the CRU gas turbine is unavailable because of technical problems. This has left Aqualectra increasingly dependent on electricity generated by the island’s wind turbines.
According to the company’s supply and capacity forecasts for this week, available generating capacity may not be sufficient to meet electricity demand if the CRU turbine remains offline.
Under the current forecast, Aqualectra expects it may have to implement rotating power cuts between 9:00 p.m. tonight and 5:00 a.m. Tuesday.
The company said load shedding would be used to keep the electricity system under control and prevent one particular group of customers from experiencing an extended outage. Customers disconnected from the grid should have their electricity restored within a maximum of two hours.
The problem may not be limited to one night.
Aqualectra told the VBC that wind speeds are forecast to remain low throughout the week. With reduced wind generation and the CRU turbine unavailable, the electricity system will have less reserve capacity to respond to periods of higher demand.
The warning follows load shedding during the previous night, when Aqualectra was also forced to temporarily disconnect customers after wind speeds dropped more sharply than anticipated.
The utility had already reported that the unusually hot weather over the weekend increased electricity consumption as residents relied more heavily on air conditioners and fans.
At the same time, available generating units have been operating at maximum capacity, while battery storage has been used where possible to help support the grid.
Aqualectra said technicians continue working to restore generating capacity and minimize the impact on households and businesses.
The company emphasized to the VBC that it is monitoring developments closely and will continue providing updates as the situation changes.
For Curaçao’s business community, the warning means companies may again have to prepare for temporary electricity interruptions during the night while Aqualectra works to restore sufficient conventional generating capacity and reduce its current dependence on favorable wind conditions.