Due to technical difficulties with our service provider, persons trying to call our emergency and outages numbers 600 / 465-2013 will not be able to get through.
We are asking persons to use this temporary number 663-6148, to reach our emergency dispatchers.
Our service provider is working hard at restoring service.
The St. Kitts Electricity Company (SKELEC) invites suitably qualified candidates to apply to fill the vacant position of Human Resource Manager. The successful applicant will oversee the Human Resource Department.
Applicant’s Minimum Requirement
Responsibilities:
Salary: To be negotiated
Other Benefits: Participation in the company’s health insurance scheme.
Interested persons should submit their application in writing to the Ag. General Manager by email cjwilliams@stkittselectricitycoltd.com no later than 15th May 2019.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s Community Health Services, we at SKELEC are holding our first of two health checks on the 17th May 2019 as part of our Customer Appreciation Month of Activities under the theme “Incredible service powered incredibly right for you”. Come out and have your blood pressure and blood sugar checked. Diet tips, HIV testing and stress counseling will be offered also. Join us on Friday 17th May at Harowe Servo located in Sandy Point from 9 am – 2 pm. Walk right in and take advantage of the free health services. Remember: A healthy nation is a wealthy nation.
CASTRIES, Saint Lucia, April 29th, 2019 – The 2019 CARILEC Linesman Symposium and Rodeo culminated on a high note for the Anguilla Electric Utility Company Limited (ANGLEC) which captured the number one spot in both the Experienced (more than 5 years experience) and Apprentice (5 years and under) categories. Most notably, 2019 marks Anguilla’s first time participating in the annual symposium and rodeo. Anguilla pushed last year’s winner – St. Lucia Electricity Services Ltd (LUCELEC) into the second spot in both categories. In the Experienced category, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) took third place, while the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) captured 3rd place on the Apprentice category.
2019 registered still another record with the participation of the first female line-worker to date – Toniann James, of Williams Electrical out of Saint Lucia.
LUCELEC placed 2nd in both categories
This year’s rodeo comprised of 17 teams, (11 experienced, 6 apprentice category) and a total of 51 participants from 11 utilities and one contractor – Williams Electrical, the sole private firm. The rodeo, which took place on Saturday April 20th was the climax of a week long training symposium and tools exposition co-hosted by St. Kitts Electricity Company Ltd (SKELEC) and Nevis Electricity Company (NEVLEC).
Belize placed 3rd in the Experienced Category
Hosted under the theme “Caribbean Linesman: Creating Connections; Strengthening Communities”, the training symposium featured topics such as Minimum Approach Distance, OSHA Standards, Ladder Fall Protection, Impact of Smart Grid on the function of the Line-worker and a panel discussion on Safety Best Practice During Storm Restoration Work: The Caribbean Experience. The week’s activities commenced on Monday April 15th, with Rigging, Knot Tying, Instruments Testing and Troubleshooting followed on Tuesday with Pole Top Rescue and Bucket Truck Rescue Training. Teams participating in the rodeo were assessed on skill best practices demonstrated during 6 challenges: HV Earth Installation, HV Fuse Cut Out, Speed Pole Climb, Basketball, Hurtman Rescue and Mystery Event which was a replacement of a fuse cutout link.
The CARILEC Linesman Symposium and Rodeo is a major highlight on CARILEC’s annual Training calendar. The event aims to build knowledge, share best practice and boost morale of the Linesman. The activity was inaugurated in 2015 and has been successfully hosted every year with the exception of 2016 – a very active hurricane season, which curtailed number of planned training activities.
This year’s activity attracted the sponsorship support and participation of a number of international members and affiliates of CARILEC including Southeast Linesman Training Center Global (Platinum), American Wire Group (Gold), Elevated Gear, Buckingham MFG and Jelco (Silver) and Milwaukee Tools, Koppers Utility & Industrial Products and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Bronze). Eleven brands featured in the exhibition namely Milwaukee Tools, Utility Solutions, Hubbell Power Systems, Koppers Utility & Industrial Products, Buckingham MFG, Jelco, Southeast Linesman Training Center, Elevated Gear, American Wire Group, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Penn Union.
On Saturday 20th April a technician from our sister company GEBE (St. Maarten) flew in with the Meggar cable fault detection system and was joined by another technician on island. Both worked alongside technicians from our own cable and maintenance crew in identifying the exact area of the fault. The loaner unit became necessary after our own unit failed earlier this year and the new unit is currently being manufactured and is expected to be at SKELEC in a few weeks.
After nearly six hours of tracing the area between Keys and Cayon, the fault was found. Repairing the fault which is close to the Scenic Railway lines in Keys was scheduled to take place yesterday Tuesday April 23. Repair was completed late afternoon, and the reconfiguring of the network is expected to be done with minimum interruption to customer supply.
Once this is completed, our engineers will begin scheduling the necessary upgrading of the overhead local network in the area which will become better equipped to handle heavy load if our underground cable is to fail in the future.
SKELEC will continue to work on upgrading our network throughout the island as it has been doing for the past years.
We regret the inconvenience to our customers who have experienced loss of electricity supply due to this fault on the network as we to continue to work at improving the service we offer to all our consumers.
Earlier in the week there was a fault on our underground circuit on Cayon feeder. Our technicians have been working expeditiously to identify the exact area and extent of the damage to the cable, but have been unable to do so successfully as at today, April 19th 2019.
Since the fault on the underground circuit, feeder the load has been transferred to the overhead lines on that feeder. Such load is adequate during the daytime, when the load is low on the feeder. However, once the peak load is reached as nighttime approaches, the system can become unstable and cause local outages as has been seen in the area over the last four (4) days.
Since we have been unable to locate the fault ourselves, we began the process to get an engineer and the fault locating equipment on island which is scheduled to arrive on Saturday April 20.
Our projected timeline for repair work on the Cayon Feeder once the equipment arrives is approximately two (2) hours to pinpoint the exact location of fault and another six (6) to eight (8) hours to excavate and repair the damage fault.
Once the cable is repaired, we are hoping to continue to provide the reliable electricity service our customers have come to expect from us.
We would also begin work on upgrading our overhead network infrastructure on the feeder as well, as the area continues to undergo growth and load continues to increase.
SKELEC takes the time out to continue to ask our customers for patience and understanding as we work tirelessly to rectify this issue.
CASTRIES, Saint Lucia, April 2nd, 2019 – As those charged with the often-dangerous job of powering communities and the first responders for utility infrastructural restoration following a disaster, the critical role of the linesman in strengthening Caribbean communities will be under focus at the annual Linesman Rodeo and Tools Symposium. Coordinated by the Caribbean Electric Utilities Corporation (CARILEC) in collaboration with St. Kitts Electricity Services Ltd, the 2019 symposium which is scheduled to run from Monday April 15 to Thursday April 18, and culminating with a rodeo on Saturday April 20, 2019.
The three-day symposium is being held under the theme “Caribbean Linesman: Creating Connections; Strengthening Communities”. The activity will build capacity among Lineman Supervisors and Line workers through a range of methods which include presentations, teaching modules and practical skill-building activities, and a technical tour of the electric utility plant in St. Kitts.
CARILEC’s Training Manager Ms. Laurena Primus described the work of the Linesman as the keystone of the work of the electricity industry “as they are the ones who work with the infrastructure that brings electricity closer to our homes. They are the ones called upon to work in rain, storm or disaster to restore lines and poles in order to get the lights back on.”
For these reasons and consistent with CARILEC’s objective to ensure the regional industry remains in step with new technologies, safety protocols and techniques “the education of the linesman is a continuous undertaking, because it is critical for both worker and consumer safety as well as for service reliability and access”, Ms. Primus added.
The rodeo provides a platform for lineman technicians to represent both themselves and their utility, through various competitive pole-climbing events which challenge them to safely demonstrate skill under pressure, with agility and accuracy. “Safety practices and behaviors are cemented with repetition and practice. The Rodeo requires the Line worker to bring all of his experiences to bear in a series of tasks that demand safe execution with no room for error. Points are lost on every mistake; therefore, the line worker is compelled to view his work with a keener eye for safety in an environment of fun,” Ms. Primus concluded.
Staged as a free event which is open to the public, the rodeo delivers on the objective of public information, awareness and appreciation of the work of the Linesman and the range of careers on offer by the Electric sector. The event is open to utility companies, family members of utility workers, the public and independent power producers.
The Public is hereby advised that Delisle Street will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday February 2. During this time there will also be no electricity service on both Delisle and Prince’s Streets, from 8 am to 1 pm to facilitate transformer and underground cable upgrades.
SKELEC apologizes to all users and businesses in the area as we work on enhancing the electricity in the area to benefit all users.
The public is hereby advised that Fort Street will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, December 15. Also, on Sunday, December 2, The Circus and its surroundings will be closed to vehicular traffic. The closure on both days is to allow for the installation of new and improved lighting in these areas.
SKELEC apologizes to all users and businesses who will be affected as we work to enhance the lighting for the benefit of all.
The public is hereby advised that streets surrounding the would be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday November, 15 to allow service crews from the Environmental unit to clear our Electrical lines of vegetation. SKELEC apologises to road users who will be affected by this closure. This is to give way to improved lighting and the installation of new lighting in the Independence Square.