Residents angry at APUA about frequent and prolonged power outages that reportedly have damaged household appliances

Residents across the country are still angry about the power outages
they experienced on Saturday night, August 19, into Sunday
morning, August 20, which, they say, have destroyed their
household appliances and electronics.
 
On Sunday, the aggrieved residents took to social media, calling on
the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) to get the situation
corrected, and complaining that their appliances and electronics had
been blown out by the outages, some of which lasted for several
hours.

One resident claims that he lost almost all of his home appliances,
including two fans, two transformers, two television sets, and a
refrigerator – and posted a video that shows his attempts to turn
them back on.
 
Apparently, after the power went out and then came back on, the
household appliances and electronics were affected by the surge,
which also left the light on a nearby lamppost blinking.

Several other people complained that their appliances had been
affected, as well, with others saying they had unplugged their
electronics and appliances for fear that the constant outages and
reconnection of the electricity would affect them.
 
Prior to these occurrences, the APUA Electricity Business Unit had
advised the public that it would be conducting scheduled
maintenance on the Cassada Gardens Substation, and this would
result in brief intermittent interruptions of service for short
intervals.
 
This work was expected to take place from 4 p.m. on Saturday,
August 19, and run through Monday, August 21, at 7 a.m.
 
The affected areas should have included the communities on the
northern and middle sections of the island, including Cassada
Gardens, New Winthorpes, Barnes Hill, Powells, the airport, the Sir
George Walter Highway, Hodges Bay and Cedar Grove.
 
Other areas included Old Parham Road, Factory Road, Pigotts and
Fitches Creek.

However, the outages also impacted residents in Marble Hill,
McKinnons, Crosbies, Royal Gardens, Yorks and Old Runway.
Some residents who inquired are claiming they were told that a
feeder had tripped, and that APUA did not know when it would be
back online.

A woman says she telephoned the 311 hotline to inquire about the
outages and was told that they were caused by workers who were
trimming trees in her area.

In Cassada Gardens – starting sometime after 9 p.m. on Saturday
and running until after 9 a.m. on Sunday – reports say that
electricity went off and on about eight times

Meanwhile, in an official media release on Sunday, August 20, the
Electricity Business Unit claimed that an unforeseen mechanical
failure at the Friars Hill Substation had caused the outages.

It said that on Saturday, from approximately 9:30 p.m., additional
and extended interruptions of service were experienced as a result
of the issues at that substation.

The complete restoration of services went on for almost all of
Sunday and was expected to be completed during the late afternoon.
 
As part of completing the repairs, further intermittent outages
would have occurred within the affected areas between 2 and 3 p.m.,
the Authority said, and also within St. John’s City and surrounding
areas from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

APUA offered an apology to customers for the inconvenience the
outages caused. But while it is apologizing, customers are asking
whether they will be compensated for the damage to their
appliances and electronic items.