Barbados Light & Power has warned that improperly isolated solar systems and generators could endanger its crews during storm‑related outages, as the utility ramps up preparations for the hurricane season.
The warning came from the utility’s renewable energy business unit manager, Robert Harewood, at a hurricane preparedness expo and media briefing at its Garrison Hill, St Michael, headquarters on Friday.
Approximately 3 500 BL&P customers currently have renewable energy systems connected to the grid, which Harewood said underscored the importance of ensuring installations are properly isolated and inspected before and after severe weather events.
The expo saw representatives from the Met Office and other entities speaking to workers about the importance of being ready for the upcoming hurricane season.
Restoration efforts following severe weather can become particularly dangerous when crews encounter damaged infrastructure and are unaware that electricity is still being supplied from private renewable energy systems, Harewood said.
Renewable Energy Business Unit Manager Robert Harewood. (Photo Credit: Shamar Blunt/Barbados TODAY)
“In the past, especially during restoration, it’s a difficult time because you have poles down, you have wires on the ground as well,” he said. “Sometimes when the guys go to restore, it’s not always easy to understand what is connected where because of the chaos out in the field.”
He warned that utility workers attempting to restore service could be exposed to electricity from renewable systems that remain connected to the grid.
“In the effort to get customers back on, sometimes it’s possible that our crew could go and work on a line and be impacted by power from a renewable system that they may not have realised was there,” Harewood said.
He stressed that approved renewable energy systems are typically equipped with an isolation switch that allows homeowners to disconnect them from the grid before a storm. Customers should use that feature whenever severe weather is forecast.
“The message really is that the renewable system has an isolation switch and typically if you know bad weather is coming, you should make sure that switch is isolated,” he said.
But Harewood expressed concern that some renewable installations may have been connected without Light & Power’s knowledge and may not have the required safety mechanisms.
“We’ve realised in recent times there’s some customers that have renewable systems without our knowledge, and they may not have that isolation switch.”
While most systems are designed to automatically disconnect when grid power is lost, Harewood noted that this safeguard may not always operate as expected, creating challenges for both utility workers and customers.
He also pointed to potential risks from improperly connected generators, saying homeowners should ensure it is safe to reconnect equipment after a storm and seek professional assistance if there is any doubt.
“Otherwise, you really should contact your installer, whoever installed the renewable system, to have it checked and make sure that everything is okay.”
(SB)
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