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A little more than two weeks after the electricity production crisis began on October 20 at the EDF power plant in Public, the arrival of thirteen backup generators on the island ensured a stable power supply—despite an increase in consumption.
On the surface, everything seems to be going well. This is despite the shutdown of the two main generating units at the EDF Public power plant—the G7 (out of service) and the G8 (undergoing maintenance). But appearances are often deceiving. In fact, a little over two weeks after the start of the power generation crisis, while the situation is under control, it remains extremely unstable.
To date, no fewer than thirteen backup generators have arrived on the island. Twelve have been connected to the grid via EDF transformers in various neighborhoods across the island (Public, Anse des Cayes, Grand Fond, Petit-Cul-de-Sac, Lorient, Saint-Jean, Vitet, Colombier). “We have a thirteenth one, but it’s being used as a backup for the IME (Medical-Educational Institute, in Anse des Cayes),” explains Pierre-Yves Gillot, site manager for Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy at EDF Archipel Guadeloupe. “We only use it as a backup if the IME loses power,” he adds.
“We’re stretching the supply chain”
Pierre-Yves Gillot believes that the system, which has been gradually put in place since Saturday, October 24, and the arrival of the first backup generators, is now operational. “We’ve got the hang of how it works—starting it up, shutting it down, and refueling, which really puts a strain on the island’s supply chain,” he admits. “We get deliveries by tanker truck and refuel the largest generators up to twice a day, with our partner Rubis. But it’s working well.” It should be noted that, on average, the backup generators consume nearly 70 liters of fuel per hour. That amounts to ten to twelve cubic meters per day, considering that twelve units are in use.
A Record for Fuel Consumption
“We’re still in close contact with the hoteliers,” notes Pierre-Yves Gillot. “That’s working well, too. They’re taking the load off the grid and running on their own power.” In reality, the main challenge stems from the overall increase in electricity consumption. “We broke another record on Tuesday (November 3) with 23.7 MW,” notes the executive. “We’d come close on October 28. So, okay, it’s very hot, but we’re reminding everyone of the importance of energy-saving habits. Energy conservation is essential. I hear people telling me that if they don’t do it, it doesn’t matter—their neighbor isn’t doing it either. But no, quite the opposite. Every little bit counts. It’s the little drops of water that make the big rivers. Especially if we don’t have to sacrifice our comfort. Turning the AC down by one degree makes a real difference in energy consumption. Well, it’s clear that the island is getting more and more crowded…” Which doesn’t help the situation. Especially at locations where the air conditioners are running at full blast nonstop. Restarting the power plant’s main generators should be a lifesaver.
Confidence for Thanksgiving
Less than 48 hours after the G7 unit was shut down due to a malfunction, Emma Dahomay Thibaudier, deputy regional director of EDF Archipel Guadeloupe, announced that operations would resume in mid-November. Pierre-Yves Gillot confirms this. “As for the repair schedule, we’re on track with what we announced—that is, a return to normal by mid-November,” he assures us. “The G8 unit should be back online during the week of November 9. For the G7, it will take longer. But given what we’ve been through without the G8, it gives us confidence in our ability to hold out until Thanksgiving.”
In the meantime, given the rise in consumption and the fact that production is hanging by a thread, EDF technicians will be closely monitoring peaks in activity. “On Wednesday at 11 a.m., it was a bit high, then it dropped before peaking at 2 p.m.,” explains Pierre-Yves Gillot. “We then had a plateau, followed by a rise around 7 p.m. before it fell again. That’s what we’ve observed over the past few days. So it’s during these periods that we need to be vigilant about consumption—perhaps by trying to shift it to another time of day, for those who can. I know it’s not always easy.”
Next week, additional EDF staff will arrive on the island to provide backup. They’ll be coming from Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and… Corsica. “Mostly on the production side,” explains Pierre-Yves Gillot. “These are people who are used to working in power plants.”
While the crisis is still far from over, a resolution is well on its way. But even after the power plant’s G8 unit is back online, a real-world test will come soon with Thanksgiving. With the arrival of many tourists, it’s hard to imagine that energy consumption won’t skyrocket.
