Saba has been facing frequent power outages since November, raising concerns among the island’s residents. On Tuesday morning, the situation worsened with five consecutive outages, leading to heightened frustration, particularly for one resident.
Verna Robinson-Simmons, a local resident, has been suffering from air and noise pollution caused by a government backup generator. Located at a neighboring building housing the Departments of Public Health and Community Development, the generator has been the source of significant disturbances for Robinson-Simmons and her neighbors.
The 58-year-old woman, who suffers from high blood pressure, said that whenever the generator operates, it releases black smoke into the air, filling her home and the surrounding area. Robinson-Simmons first lodged a complaint about the generator in April when it was installed, and submitted another letter on January 5. Despite receiving feedback from the public entity about a solution, she remains dissatisfied with the response and doubts that her concerns will be fully addressed.
In a letter dated January 9, the Executive Council acknowledged the issue, stating that the generator had been operational since April. They confirmed that during the initial start-up phase, the generator emitted noticeable fumes. The council explained that the current exhaust system was insufficient in directing the fumes upward and that they were working with the installation company to extend the exhaust pipe. However, the completion of this work had been delayed due to the holiday season. The council assured that once the extension is installed, the impact of the fumes would be significantly reduced.
On Tuesday, Robinson-Simmons’ home was engulfed in smoke as a result of the repeated outages. “This morning, I had to sit in my car just to breathe when the power went out three times,” she told The Daily Herald. “I called the police, and when they came to inspect my house, they could also smell the pollution everywhere.”
Frustrated by the situation, Robinson-Simmons is calling for action from local authorities, particularly Commissioner of Health Eviton Heyliger. “They never consulted with residents about the location of the generator or considered placing it elsewhere,” she said.
According to the Executive Council’s letter, the generator was installed in a purpose-built generator room to protect vaccines stored in refrigerators at the building. The vaccines were previously stored at the Saba Cares Foundation complex but were relocated due to space limitations.
Meanwhile, the Saba Electric Company (SEC) issued a statement explaining the cause of Tuesday’s widespread power outages. The outages, they said, were due to “grid-related issues.” SEC noted that nearly the entire island’s electricity grid is now underground, which improves safety and reliability. However, the company explained that when faults occur in an underground system, it is more difficult to locate the exact problem compared to overhead lines.
SEC later announced that technicians had localized the fault in the grid in the lower Hell’s Gate area. Power was restored after maintenance and repairs were completed later in the day.
