ENERGY EMERGENCY IN BRAVA: Mayor of Brava visits the Electric Power Station and finds that it is on the brink of collapse
August 29, 2023 - Following turbulent weeks, the island of Brava is facing a serious energy crisis due to the failure of two of the four generators at its power plant. The situation reached a critical point last weekend, when one of the two "old" generators at the plant collapsed, leaving the population with only one generator working at less than 50% of its capacity.
In the last two weeks, the island has already been suffering from scheduled power cuts, affecting several locations. However, the problem quickly worsened with successive breakdowns in the generators. The lack of energy is not the only concern, as the water supply was also affected due to the interruption of the water pumping system, further aggravating the situation for families on the island.
The island is now on the verge of an imminent catastrophe, as the only working generator has been operating uninterruptedly for over 17 days. Should that last generator fail, the island could face a complete collapse of power supply, leading to devastating consequences for the population.
In response to the crisis, the Municipality of Brava (CMB) contacted the government and the energy company Electra-Sul to seek urgent solutions. “It is imperative that emergency measures be taken to guarantee the supply of electricity and water to the population of the island” said a concerned Francisco Tavares. In addition, the process of acquiring new generators was accelerated in an attempt to restore the power plant's operational capacity.
The current situation highlights the vulnerability of small islands in terms of energy infrastructure and highlights the need for continued investments and precautionary measures to avoid similar crises in the future.
Authorities continue to work to find quick and effective solutions to this energy emergency, seeking to ensure the safety and well-being of the population of Brava. The situation remains evolving, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
