The Barbados Light and Power Company (BL&P) is one of the local utilities most Barbadians will agree has provided a better than satisfactory level of service through the years. The blogmaster does not have access to the ‘power outage’ history of BL&P since it was delivered to the Canadian power company EMERA. However, if one were to go by the anecdotal it seems the company has struggled under new ownership to sustain the high level of service Barbadians have become accustomed. Even the monkeys making mock sport at dem!
There was an island wide power outage on the 8 January 2018 at 3PM and at the time of updating this blog areas of Barbados remain dark as well as with intermittent service. According to social media reports the power company has advised that its Seawell substation in Christ Church is the source of the problem and technicians are working around the clock to fix the problem .
Barbados Underground has always defined the BL&P as a national strategic asset which the government should never have allowed the ownership to slip into the hands of the Canadians for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver. An advantage to being small should be that we are able to build and implement strategic plans to maximize on our resources. The ‘disparate’ approach to how we have been governing this little rock has started to generate undesirable outcomes in every sphere of activity- protracted depressed economic performance, inability to implement a sustainable waste management program; evident by infrequent garbage collection and inefficient sewage disposal, unstable industrial climate, operating at the murder median in the last decade, the rise of NCDs and obesity etc, etc and etc.
The upcoming general election serves as the ideal opportunity for Barbadians and others vested in a well-managed Barbados to up the quality of debate -to do. We have a responsibility to our children and future generations. We have a duty to protect and build on the rich legacy our forefathers have laid for us.
In plenty and in time of need
When this fair land was young
Our brave forefathers sowed the seed
From which our pride was sprung
A pride that makes no wanton boast
Of what it has withstood
That binds our hearts from coast to coast
The pride of nationhood
Come on Barbados, we can do this if we try.
Did not Barrow predict his Dems that they will sell out the whole island one day?
It would be best to put the local administration and courts into Canadian hands. Surely, things would work better than now.
@ David,
https://www.nspower.ca/en/home/outage-centre/default.aspx
@David,
Sewage pumps need electricity.
@Hants
Surely the utility that is our most important resource has backup power?
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/01/06/major-power-outage-hits-torontos-east-end.html
Power restored after outage hits Toronto’s east end
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/12/28/power-outage-at-disneyland-leaves-visitors-stranded-on-rides-monorail.html
Power outage at Disneyland leaves visitors stranded on rides, monorail
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/12/28/hydro-blackout-hits-11000-whitby-customers-in-extreme-cold.html
Over 11,000 customers in Whitby without power for hours as temperatures dropped to cold extremes
According to the city, water main breaks could take up to 24 hours to repair
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/water-main-breaks-1.4467348
“The Barbados Light and Power Company (BL&P) is one of the local utilities most Barbadians will agree has provided a better than satisfactory level of service through the years.”
Now it is a profit centre for Emera….. as it should be.
Link as you wish…..but….. power outages at the BL&P are a BL&P issue. And it isn’t uncommon anywhere not to expect them. What is acceptable?
It isn’t up to the utility to have backup, rather users, who cannot afford to have no power. I was looking recently at a data centre in “the Caribbean”, and the BL&P record was very good compared to most islands.
@NO
Is that information available to the public? What is wrong with an important utility like the power company/ in FSC all utilities- being able to guarantee uptime to instill market confidence?
We always say we have no resources
But when it comes to electricity we have almost 365 days a year of sunlight
We have wave energy in abundance
We have wind in good quantities
We have thermal, potentially
If we can’t find a way to provide an abundant supply of electricity free of cost with all of these new, and not so new, technologies we might as well surrender our lives to Bushie’s BBE.
Tell Him it’s wasted on us.
SEVEN hours without electricity. Any apology or compensation?
@Adrian
Sorry to hear, using Northern Observer’s argument you need to install a generator.
Pacha….It is wasted, the whole of them are a waste of damn oxygen on earth, they sat their black asses down and waited for a convicted criminal like Del Mastro to come out of Canada with his solar scam to put bribes in their pockets, as I said years ago they were waiting for some foreign white crook to sell them the sun’s energy when they have always had it for free……..although and despite Barbados through the now deceased Professor Headley from UWI has led the world in solar since the 70s.
The black and red negros hate to see anyone who is not white displaying high levels of intelligence, the useless aor breathers have the nerve to say as much, even on BU….they live to depend on whites and others and take bribes, that is the extent of their intelligence level and all they are capable of aspiring to on the earth.
The mind of the slave is shallow, dangerous and useless….they do not know neither do they care to know their own identities, they have nothing to pass on to their children and grandchildren for generations except more of the same….they are disgusting by nature and should be viewed as they always have been, only useful as beasts of burden….to be robbed.
See for yourselves.
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2018/01/09/leave-the-british-queen-alone-barbadians-suggest/
When hardback negro men and women can still be so brainwashed, weak and deluded, in 2018, you know to keep away from them, the shallow mind of the slave.
The black and red negros hate to see anyone who is not white displaying high levels of intelligence, the useless AIR breathers have the nerve to say as much, even on BU..
Generators are noisy, but useful.
Ironically, it was about an hour before that blackout I noticed someone posted to the ND forum that it was just a matter of time before something like that or even worse happened at Emera given management incompetence, ineffectiveness and lack of adequate maintenence of the plant, with new uppity management being useless.
Hopefully Emera’s board of directors removes the idiots at the helm before disaster really strikes….since it would be asking too much for an intelligent Barbados government who is not seeking bribes, let alone asking for an intelligent government to do the right thing.
Having lived among the islands …… and now surviving the incompetence of our current government, I thank God our electricity is not under Government control!!!Yes, the outage yesterday was a bit too long but BL&P service is superior to our friends at Flow, Digicel, CBC, etc…………….
Here we go again. The whole world has
been moving toward alternative energy
for fifty or more years.
In Barbados , James Husbands and
Father Hatch we’re promoting solar energy
for over thirty years- maybe closer to
forty.
All these years Husbands struggling to
move to the next stage. In steps
Bizzy Williams and the government is
expected to finance his efforts.
Private sector as usual expects governments
to cover them at every turn.
Connect the dots people.
Really , KS?
Skinner
Has made a critical point
Furthermore all the poor whites in Barbados, including the Goddards, the Simpsons and the rest were only able to emerge through government action.
Parliaments of Barbados for hundreds of years have passed laws to make poor whites rich.
And we are seeing it right now in front our lying eyes.
Everything these people have achieved, especially recently but from the beginning as well, was based on the actions of a national government. In recent decades a black government.
Do you know know that after the hullabaloo about Ionics this government renewed the agreement and added additional business for the new ones planned? We talk a good talk.
I will continue to say barbadians interest is one of selfishness that is why the country problems over the years have gotten worse a society with high expectations and mauby pockets
This is not the first time that EMERA has experienced extended power outages. One wonders how much confidence should be placed in them should a natural disaster occur on the island. How many of the experienced staff were paid out by this company. Should we have the same level of confidence in the energy sector as in days gone by? We all know what happened to customer service and reliability at BarTel, BET, Barclays, Royal, Banks Holdings etc. in the mad rush to maximize profits and the hell with the customer. Let this caring government go ahead and privatize the BWA. Could it get any worse?
@FearPlay
We need to keep an eye on those old generators on Spring Garden. We also wait on the BL&P’s explanation what caused the explosion at the Seawell station.
David, How you you think we can afford a generator when we cannot even get back nearly $40,000 in due but unpaid VAT refunds owing since February 2013, If you think we have a problem then spare a thought for one of the multi-national companies with a substantial interest here who are currently owed $10 million in unpaid but due VAT refunds.
@Adrian
Northern Observer will likely respond that installing a UPS/Generator is the cost of doing business.
David
Have you noticed that Venezuela is issuing a petroleum based cryptocurrency
Russia is thinking along these lines with gas
Recent changes in oil & gas is another relative thing
Venezuela seems to have some conceptual problems though
Instead of thinking oil, as in bulk crude, they maybe be better advised to think a real currency -gasoline.
And regardless of the missive by Peter Lawrence last time, this will not be fiat, if they could make it work.
@Pacha
Studies are being undertaken by the central banks of developed countries to evaluate the best way to integrate crypto currencies in its monetary framework. The others will follow based on the outcomes.
@ Fearplay January 9, 2018 at 9:41 AM
“Let this caring government go ahead and privatize the BWA. Could it get any worse?”
The problem here is that the GoB has no alternative.
Given the fast dwindling forex situation whoever pays the balance of payments support piper will be calling the Privatization tune in the coming months.
The current management of the BWA leaves too much to be desired and effectively has kicked the divestment ball into their own dirty goal with South Coast sewage scene the applauding spectators.
We cannot see how management can get any worse at that utility.
What is preferred is that the BWA becomes a private-sector entity in which the majority of shares are held by individual and corporate Barbadians to make use of the millions sitting idly on bank and credit union accounts.
When as a broke government and ya got mauby pockets, ya dont through a 7 million dollar useless independence year long bash to fool yardfowls…ya only impressing yardfowls….they dont count.
…ya dont throw parties for tourists every month, they are not impressed….
is in not ironic that shit started flowing immediately after all the pitchfork burying and money wastage…all that waste of taxpayer’s money is now biting, with very large teeth..
How could government not expect these companies to want their vat return money..
…. why is government not going after those who owe over 100 million in vat, collect all outstanding moneys, so they can pay the companies they owe..
51 years and 2 weak useless governments later…look where they have reached, all they think about is useless titles abd status, they have no useful brain power…not sufficient to carry the island.
See what i meaning about selfishness right out the box . Adrian comments says it all.
Now he wants all to belive that buying a generator depends on Vat return. Poor barbados that is all i have to say. Once a community centred society has turned into a free for all.
Most here needs to look across the water at islands which have been devastated by hurricanes and still have no electricity
I cant help but belive this country would eventually go to the dogs no matter who is in charge
@ ac January 9, 2018 at 10:18 AM
If your dirty lying pimping administration were to go after and collect the millions which Greenverbs and Gollop and co owe in taxes then Adrian would get his refund and improve his cash flow prospects of buying a generator.
Ac, we all know you are Numeracy-challenged like Stinkliar but you must be able to calculate how much is 35% of $3.3 million or even 17.5% of the same $3.3 million without misplacing your decimals.
Now that is how your country has gone to the dogs. Yes, a pack of thieving shitehounds in charge.
@ David at 10:12AM
I hope they do a better job than they did with the finacialization of the Capitalist System.
@Bernard
New wine in old skins maybe?
Along with electricity
And when you look at the recurrent costs of cell phone and internet providers
We also think that these essential services should be free as well
After all they use, or could all use, the public airspace.
In fact, there are some sustainable communities already providing all three free of charge.
” Barbados Light & Power (BL&P) managing director Roger Blackman said the issue stemmed from an EXPLOSION.”
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/118297/blast-cuts-power
Barbados would continue on a downward spiral because of a concentrated and condensed mindset of entitlement greed and self loathing which has been liquefied in the minds of both rich and poor.
The econmic wheels did not fall of a few years back but when barbadian society bought into a false sense of opulence and a thought process of the abilty to punch against its weight one that matches the lifestyle of great Western nations
The island will continue on a downward spiral because of lazy, incompetent, neglectful, self absorbed, taxpayer paid government ministers…. that is the only reason, none other.
ac at 12:39 PM
That ‘ false sense of opulence’ was worked for. Nobody gave it to us. The leaders of this society dropped the ball and acquired” a sense of entitlement”. That is where and when we fell down. Just like the sewage plant, economies and societies have to be maintained and refurbished when necessary. There can be no resting on our laurels.
“Barbados would continue on a downward spiral because of a concentrated and condensed mindset of entitlement greed and self loathing which has been liquefied in the minds of both rich and poor.”
++++++++++++++++++++++
And who are those responsible for creating this “mindset of entitlement greed and self loathing which has been liquefied in the minds of both rich and poor?”
Politicians!!!! They are the ones responsible for developing policies, under the guise of helping poor people, but in actuality to solicit votes…… thereby creating this “mindset of entitlement greed and self loathing”………. policies such as:
FREE travel on Transport Board buses for the children of both rich & poor……
FREE primary school & secondary education for the children of both rich & poor……
FREE tertiary level education for both rich & poor…..
FREE NHC houses for both rich & poor…..
SUBSIDIZED rent for NHC tenants……both rich & poor….
SUBSIDIZED bus fare for Transport Board commuters……both rich & poor…..
SUBSIDIZED school meals for the children of both rich & poor……
Establishing institutions such as Welfare Department, National Assistance Board, Urban & Rural Development Commissions to provide “largess” (welfare grants, houses, house repairs and various other assistance), at tax payers’ expense, to those people who do not deserve such assistance…….. usually young women, political associates and yard-fowls.
Issuing majority government contracts to businesses owned by certain rich minority groups (Bizzy Williams, C.O Williams, Mark Maloney, Bjorn Bjerkham) or political associates (Leroy Parris & Rayside Construction)……
……… and allowing party supporting lawyers to overcharge government institutions (Richard Byer, Hal Gollop).
The same politicians people like you (and the other ac’s) vehemently and shamelessly defend.
Nobody in their right mind would work for a false sense of “anything”individuals are responsible for their ability to define what they can afford and not be foolishly led like sheep to the slaughter all in the name of self gain
What kind of mentality would an individual possess to throw rags or objects that would block the sewer system..Those are the kind of actions which would keep barbados economy in the pits actions that only create an unstable enviroment towards progress.
So in your mind you belive that free school lunches and bus rides for the poor are a hinderence towards progress . it is hard to envision any society not helping the poor eldetly and vulnerable and expecting their social enviroment to be free of chaos .
No power, no water.
“The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) today said that due to last night’s island wide power outage several communities are now without water.”
https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2018/01/09/power-cut-blamed-for-water-outages/
@Blogmaster
you have generation and distribution. It makes no difference how you generate if the distribution fails, and vice versa. What is peculiar here, is how one issue at Seawell, fried the entire distribution system. Again I ask, what is the expectation?
@Pacha
“We also think that these essential services should be free as well. After all they use, or could all use, the public airspace.”
And fruits and vegetables use similar airspace, should they be free too?
@Nothern Observer
The expectation is to have 100% uptime which means adequate redundancy (token ring) is in place. There is a reason Barbados has earned the reputation of fighting above its weight class. Barbados was viewed as the morel Black country now we are happy to benchmark against the others.
#wtf
When the Dems talk about the poor and needy they mean cabinet ministers, judges, high bureaucrats and their many needy families and greedy courtesans driving silver Benzis E class at the taxpayer´s expense. There is no reason why the children of the ruling elite drive to school in a big Mercedes at the taxpayer´s expense. What a plantocracy!
We must cut the salaries of all politicians, judges and high bureaucrats by at least 30 % and their pensions by 50 %. You do not go to the public service to earn the money for a big car or villa, but you do it to serve the common good. Everybody else shall seek employment in the private business or shall emigrate.
However, the common good is not part of the local vocab in public domain. What a pitty.
Northern
We obviously have no conception of what the publics mean
Media & telecommunications companies exist on the airways and through public licenses
The airways are the property of us all. So why should a few companies be able to charge us for their use, be the sole beneficiaries of public property.
You obviously have a cave man’s view of these issues, locked in a bygone era.
It maybe better to be brought up to speed before venturing such backwardness
@Blogmaster
those are computer networking terms? Sounds like what you are saying, is what you have said before, this issue is exacerbated by other issues. Remember what you told me about the sign at Sam Lords?
I know of no power generating and supply outfit which can show 100%. One can aim for that, but anywhere at 98 and above is good.
The issue remains, how could one substation knock out the whole system. There is more to this than the single explosion. So on that you are correct. If this has just knocked out St.Philip and parts of Ch Ch, this would barely be news?
“it is hard to envision any society not helping the poor eldetly and vulnerable and expecting their social enviroment to be free of chaos.”
++++++++++++++++++++++
Hmmmm…. It seems as though this particular ac…….. although just as ignorant…… is a bit more articulate.
Who mentioned anything about NOT helping the poor elderly and vulnerable?
Chaos in a society also occurs when political administrations continue with policies that were best suited the socio economic environment of 80 years ago……..
…….. and in circumstances where there aren’t sufficient resources to finance these policies for BOTH the RICH (and those that could afford to pay) and poor.
Means testing is the solution.
And perhaps you could explain how “free school lunches and bus rides for the poor” enhances progress……
……under circumstances where the same poor, having saved money by not paying bus fare and for school meals……. are suffering from the “back-lash” of a PROGRESSIVE INCREASE in TAXATION to finance these services, resulting in them being POORER.
Again… the solution is means testing……. which would create an environment where the state would continue to provide for impecunious families ……. and those who can afford to pay… will have to pay.
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2017/08/11/shut-corporate-media-argentinian-communities-still-take-airways/
“We don’t have authentic public media in Latin America,” Martin A. Becerra, a communications professor at the University of Buenos Aires, said in a Wired interview. “So in order to exercise freedom of expression, communities build their own media.”
What DTL! Comunicacion Popular does is offer the infrastructure—communication towers and recording studios—that allow communities to build their own media.”
All over the world communities are building their own media with beyond the horizon technology.
We don’t even need cell towers anymore.
@Pacha
Before you get all hoity-toity there is “something” at either end of the connection? This is the cost, not the transmission mechanism (public airspace). Hence the charges are not for the airspace, but the connectivity mechanisms.
Similarly the oceans are public, save a short distance immediately off a land mass. Nobody is charged to fish them, the cost is the boat, fuel and manpower. Ditto for using them as a transport mechanism. Planes don’t pay for using airspace, rather the facilities at either end.
The determination of what is an ‘essential service’ is another matter.
Northern
There are people in Barbados who already exist off the electrical grid.
Northern
We have gone to several communities and seen free telecommunication services in operation.
And basically all that controls them are a few commuters and an antennae.
These systems are vastly less complex than 30 years ago.
In any event the experts in this field have long debunked the arguments made by the telecoms and you about what you say people must pay for.
Yours is the same staid argument Cable and Wireless made while bilking Bajans for billions.
In addition to crypto the “Petro”…
Shares of Eastman Kodak Co surged over 40 per cent on Tuesday after the one-time leader in photography became the latest company to jump on the cryptocurrency bandwagon.
@David: The expectation is to have 100% uptime which means adequate redundancy (token ring) is in place.
Power doesn’t work that way; you’re using a very ancient networking term which doesn’t apply to electrical Generation, Transmission and Distribution.
@Chris
You are the expert, what should be the example expectation given the historical performance of BL&P pre Emera? What is the current state of the plant and its capacity to deliver based on loads/demand etc?
@Pacha
some days you are a piece of work….
“long debunked the arguments made by the telecoms and you…..Yours is the same staid argument Cable and Wireless made…You obviously have a cave man’s view”
and all these interpretations about me because I asked…And fruits and vegetables use similar airspace, should they be free too?
@David.
Cascading failures like this are not all that uncommon, even “away”. Just Google for “Eastern Seaboard Power Outage”, for example.
What people don’t appreciate is just how difficult power GTD is. You’ve got three phases of electricity running at 50 Hz, each at 120 degrees offset from each other. You can’t just have one or more “rings” providing redundancy, or else the different distances will result in “fighting” in the offsets. The speed of electrons through a wire are pretty fast, but not infinite.
What happened last night (based on my three conversations with their Emergency Call Center) was that BL&P were having some difficulty getting the needed generation on-line at Spring Garden to compensate for the loss at Seawell, and so some areas (including were I live) were “shedded” (read: not powered up) until this was achieved.
Chris Halsall!
you still living boy? lol
at least you know what you talking bout
not at all like the average BU Brimbler with their daily drivel
Thanks Chris and what caused the explosion?
@ ac January 9, 2018 at 12:29 PM #
Barbados would continue on a downward spiral because of a concentrated and condensed mindset of entitlement greed and self loathing which has been liquefied in the minds of both rich and poor.
…………………………………………….
Whoooaa…..ac! I thought Barbados was on a growth path?
Every year since the Stinkliar was MOF, we were told in every Budget presentation that this moron presented that Barbados’ economy was on a growth path………..the economy will grow .01% or .02% or 1% or 2%………..and you now come at the eleventh hour in a rush to trash people and accidentally allow a fraction of truth to come out of your mouth?????
Barbados is on a downward spiral………….
Well, well, well! After 10 long years of DLP mismanagement……….a hardcore yardfowl ….a defender of all things DLP finally owns up……the dems have put Barbados on a downward spiral.
Wonders never cease!
the comment was….CONTINUE ON a downward spiral, the truth was even greater than you described.
Lol…mouth open, story jump out.
@David: I have no idea what caused the explosion. I understand (from local media reports) that Blackman and his team are investigating.
@Georgie Porgie: Thanks for the kind words. And, yeah… The signal to noise ratio around here is generally pretty low….
If simple net metering was permitted, even for systems under five kilowatts, utility interactive RE systems with limited battery storage would be quite affordable. Back-feeding the grid during daytime and purchasing in the evenings would allow fewer batteries to be maintained for energy security while also reducing cycling and extending battery life.
We have three types of RE at our home. Grid tied, utility interactive (battery based) and off-grid. The off grid does not even have a battery as its a pond pump which operates only when the sun is shining on the PV. Critical appliances like our refrigerator, auxiliary water pump, lights, fans and entertainment centre were not affected by yesterdays power outage.
And without the noise, fumes, maintenance and fuel requirements of a standby generator.
Check out Attic Developments Ltd Facebook page for schematic illustrations and pricing of various options.
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