This just was posted on the APUA (Antigua Public Utilities Authority) Facebook page:
The
Antigua Power Company (APC), independent power producer, on October
12th advised the Authority that as a result of outstanding payments owed
to them by APUA amounting to
$36,862,310.70 EC, it will be
suspending power generation at its 50.9 mega watt power plant at the
Crabbs Peninsula. This plant usually supplies 11 mega watts to the power
grid.
To date however, APC has carried through with this threatened
action and has gone beyond this in suspending generation at their Black
Pine facility at the Crabbs Peninsula as well. They
have therefore
reduced their usual supply of 34.5 mega watts to the grid to 16 mega
watts as of 9:00 am this morning. They have informed the utility that
they will further reduce this supply by 11 mega watts by 2:00 pm and the
remaining 5 mega watts will be withdrawn by 4:00 pm unless the
outstanding payment owed to them in its entirety is remitted. This has a
severe impact on the provision of power to the Antiguan public as APC
usually supplies 61% of the daily power demand. The Board of
Commissioners and management have sought to bring this matter to the
immediate attention of Antiguan and Barbudan consumers.
Currently
the daily peak demand for power in Antigua is 51 mega watts. This action
by APC has forced APUA to rely solely on its own generating capacity,
which can currently supply 20 mega watts to the grid. This shortfall has
forced load-shedding activities and consumers are asked to be prepared.
The APUA Board of Commissioners and Management would like the public to
know that this is being treated as the highest priority, and will
provide updates as this situation develops.