At a recent press conference held at DOMLEC’s headquarters in Fond Cole, General Manager Bertilia McKenzie shed light on the company’s latest initiatives. She announced DOMLEC’s move to file for a tariff review, a process integral to determining the company’s rate of return on investment and ensuring revenue requirements are met.
An electricity tariff, as McKenzie explained, is the charge customers pay per unit of electricity consumed. The tariff review, which started in April 2022 in collaboration with the Independent Regulatory Commission (IRC), is a meticulous process. McKenzie anticipates its completion by the first quarter of 2024, aligning with the typical duration of nine months to a year for such exercises.
McKenzie took the opportunity to commend the relentless efforts of DOMLEC’s staff. In her words, “My staff continue to work hard to ensure our generation system delivers what it was intended to do.” She extended heartfelt gratitude to all DOMLEC employees, particularly highlighting the generation and ET&D departments for their commitment during challenging times.
Chief Operations Officer (COO) Dave Stamp also addressed the press, focusing on the company’s recent strides in load management. He candidly admitted that while DOMLEC is not entirely “out of the woods,” the situation has notably improved with the addition of the Aggreko system. This system, resulting from a rental agreement with Aggreko, a US-based generator rental firm, adds three megawatts of electricity and has been instrumental in enhancing load management.
Stamp detailed the commissioning of these units, which began on November 26. He expressed optimism about the positive impact this will have on the current load-shedding issues, “In terms of load shedding, things are getting much better to avoid it,” he stated. He further revealed the current capacity stands at 18.5 megawatts, with a projected peak load of about 15.5 megawatts, offering a 3-megawatt reserve margin.
He also shared some good news: the absence of load shedding the previous day and the expectation of maintaining this trend. However, he cautioned, “We are still in the commissioning process,” indicating that while progress has been made, the journey to full stability continues.
Interestingly, Stamp mentioned how the country successfully navigated the entire independence and Creole Festival season without any load shedding, only to face a setback with a pipeline incident in Trafalgar. This incident underscores the unpredictable nature of managing a power grid and the constant vigilance required.
The press event concluded with a tour of the operations area, getting a firsthand look at the newly commissioned generators. This tour offered a tangible glimpse into DOMLEC’s efforts and advancements, reaffirming their commitment to improving Dominica’s electricity supply and infrastructure.
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