fp Turks and Caicos

LIME customers were cut off Monday (Feb. 28) when one of their main fibre cables was severely damaged during PPC Ltd.’s upgrade work along Leeward Highway.

According to a joint statement from both PPC and LIME, the two utility companies had consulted each other when the work commenced, but the fibre was damaged during the course of the work.

The damaged fibre affected most of LlME’s data and voice services across the country, leaving customers without service for several hours.

LIME’s technicians worked quickly to repair and restore all affected service, which was restored before the end of the day.

The work by PPC was part of a six-week project undertaken by the utility company to rebuild its feeder network system along Leeward Highway. The project is part of PPC’s transmission and distribution capital investment programme for 2011 which included the installation of a second Wärtsilä 20 VW 32 engine last week, bring the utility’s installed capacity to 59.5 megawatts.

Thirteen employees from subsidiaries of PPC’s Canadian parent company, Fortis, are here assisting PPC’s linesmen and contractors as they completely replace the main feeder along Leeward Highway from PPC’s Power Plant to Blue Hills roundabout.

“We wanted to have a smooth transition without causing interruptions to our customers,” said Devon Cox, PPC’s director of Transmission and Distribution Operations. “In order for this to happen we had to team up with members of Fortis who are qualified in dealing with energised lines.”

“The rebuilding of the main feeder is vital as we continue to improve our reliability to customers. Once completed the system will be able to accommodate the increasing load and will reduce electrical losses. PPC will also be installing a second circuit on the same pole line to provide the transmission link to a new substation proposed for Blue Hills later in 2011.”

PPC says it is also using this rebuilding project as a training opportunity for its linesmen.