Jost Van Dyke Residents Reconnected to BVIEC Grid

Minister for Communications and Works, Honourable Kye M. Rymer, has announced that the residents of Jost Van Dyke have been successfully reconnected to the British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) grid.  BVIEC successfully made the required joints in the subsea-cable and connected it to the grid, followed by the necessary testing and energising of the cable.

However, progress was not without its hurdles, as unfavourable weather conditions delayed the repair work for several weeks.

“The favorable weather and calm waters have allowed divers to make some strides in the restoration efforts, to completion,” remarked the Minister in a press release, highlighting the collaborative effort that was underway to bring back electricity to the island.

General Manager for BVIEC, Dr. Neil Smith, expressed his team’s dedication in getting the sister island back on the grid.

“We made one of the required joints in the subsea cable yesterday, Thursday, February 15, and a joint on the land-side to connect the cable to the grid,” stated Dr. Smith. “We then commenced the necessary testing and energized the cable. We really wanted to restore the sister island onto the grid today, Friday, February 16, and I am grateful for the dedication of the team at BVIEC in seeing this through.”

It was on September 18, 2023, when the island was first plunged into darkness due to a subsea cable failure, leaving its residents grappling with the challenges of life without electricity.

The BVIEC Electricity Corporation swiftly responded to the crisis, installing generators to provide temporary relief to the island’s inhabitants. However, these measures were not without their own set of challenges, as the temporary setup experienced multiple failures, resulting in recurrent power outages over the following months.

Despite the setbacks, the BVIEC remained undeterred in their mission to restore power to Jost Van Dyke. Late in December, the corporation successfully acquired the necessary parts to repair the subsea cable, marking a significant step forward in the restoration efforts.