Renewed blackouts across Dominica have been attributed to a waterline leak at the Dominica Electricity Services Ltd. (DOMLEC) Laudat Power Station, forcing the company to take one generator offline. DOMLEC announced on Tuesday that the leak caused a shortfall in power generation, also affecting the Trafalgar Power Station fed by the Laudat station.
“As of Tuesday, November 19, 2024, a section of waterline at our hydro plant in Laudat developed a leak, and the generator was taken offline to facilitate necessary repairs,” the company stated. “This led to a shortfall in capacity at Laudat and Trafalgar.”
DOMLEC has initiated “load management strategies” to address the reduced capacity. Power outages have already been reported in multiple areas, including the east and south coasts and interior villages like Eggleston, Giraudel, and Morne Prosper. No timeline has been provided for the resumption of normal operations.
The outages are the latest in a series of disruptions. In 2023, a wave of blackouts paralyzed the island, which DOMLEC attributed to insufficient generation capacity. Although operations stabilized by December that year following government intervention, power cuts resumed in mid-2024. The company later explained that “load shedding” was necessary to protect the grid when demand exceeded supply.
Disappointed residents are voicing frustration over the recurring power issues. DOMLEC said repairs are underway and assured that once completed, the network will stabilize, allowing normal operations to resume.
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