fp Turks and Caicos

Provo Power Company is now Fortis TCI, further aligning the local power giant with its Canadian parent company.

The announcement was made Friday, July 15, coinciding with another major company milestone — moving to its new headquarters building on Leeward Highway.

Long time employee Judith Missick had the honour of unveiling the new logo during a ceremony in the lobby of the new offices before the doors were officially opened to the public for the first time.

“In 2006, Fortis Inc. purchased PPC Ltd., and over the last five years PPC has grown significantly; infrastructure-wise, the high level of service provided to customers and empowerment of its human resources,” explained President and CEO Eddinton Powell. “It is a natural progression to now carry the name of its owners.

“The two ‘parts’ of our new name say it all. Fortis, which is derived from our parent company, Fortis Inc., and TCI which represents the country, community and people we serve. We are indeed a local company with an international perspective.”

Although the utility has already moved from its various downtown offices into one building centrally located on Providenciales adjacent to its production facilities, the new headquarters will celebrate its official opening in September.

The building offers many upgrades for employees, including a staff cafeteria and kids’ area for employees’ children who may drop in from time to time after school. The facility also offers a training and conference room which can accommodate the more than 100 staff. They can even include staff from the family islands with state of the art teleconferencing equipment.

Powell says it is Fortis’ ongoing investment in the Turks and Caicos Islands that reflects the company’s long-term commitment to the country.

“Our customers and business partners can rest assured of our continued commitment to the highest ethical standards and integrity,” Powell said. “Our name has changed, but our high standards remain.”

Fortis TCI, formerly PPC, has spent millions in upgrades in the first half of this year alone. A second new Wärtsilä diesel engine was installed in February, making the power generation process more efficient, getting more electricity from the same resources, Powell said.

Power lines along Leeward Highway were also upgraded earlier this year, and a project is currently underway to expand the fuel storage area. Currently Fortis TCI has the capacity to store only three days worth of fuel.

“We have come incredibly close to running out several times, but the public never knows it — that is our worry, not theirs,” Powell explained.

The expansion will more than quadruple the supply, with even more capacity planned for the future. A new substation is also in the works for Blue Hills later this year.

The company also invested in beautifying the outside of the Leeward plant property. A wall was built along the road and vegetation planted to improve the appearance. An extensive ground water management system was also added which retains and deals with rain water, preventing it from flooding the road in front of the plant. “My plan is in two years people will drive along Leeward will not realise there is an industrial area here,” Powell says of the cosmetic improvements.

Powell says while the company has experienced significant drops in usage since 2008 due to depopulation, the company continues to work hard to provide reliable electricity service to the island and invest in its people through training and scholarships.

Photo: Fortis TCI employees celebrated a new era with a new logo and new headquarters on Leeward Highway.