Power outage in whole island lasting 48+ hours

La Gomera's outdated diesel powered electricity-generating station belching fumes (archive image)

A fire broke out in La Gomera's diesel powered electricity-generation plant in the island's capital San Sebastian de La Gomera during the early hours of Sunday morning. Consequently from around 3am the whole island had been without power even though the newly erected wind turbines were producing plenty of electricity. The operating company Endesa, Spain's largest energy supplier, stated that this was due to all power generated having to go through the old power station for distribution around the island and that they have over 100 people working to restore power and repair the damage, but there's no information about the extent or the cause of the fire.

The island's president Casimiro Curbelo vented his anger yesterday, stating that many components in the old generating station were outdated and should have been replaced at least ten years ago. He called for Endesa to rise to their responsibility and said that it is Endesa's duty to guarantee the power supply. He also stated ''what La Gomera is living through since the early hours of Sunday morning shouldn't be allowed in the 21st century''.

Meanwhile power has been partially restored to most parts of the island as more and more large emergency generators have been brought in from neighbouring islands with 12 more being shipped today from Cadiz in Spain. First to have their power restored were medical and other essential facilities. However even those who had their power restored today report that it is intermittent as the demand is high when for example refrigeration restarts after such a long interruption and even all the emergency generators combined can't supply peak demand in the heat of summer. For this reason most public events scheduled to take place over the next couple of weeks have been postponed. The population should ''use electricity responsibly'', i.e. use as little as possible, according to Endesa, as the supply is fragile and unstable.

Multinational Spanish company Endesa never had the best reputation in La Gomera, to put it mildly, and seem to be a prime example of how La Gomera and the Canary Islands in general are being treated badly as Spain's colony and to be exploited by Madrid and Spanish companies. Endesa had revenue of nearly 33 billion Euros last year but are very slow to invest in La Gomera's electrical infrastructure, while charging high prices. Economically unimportant La Gomera's difficult terrain and low population density just doesn't make a huge profit for a multinational utility company.

Old woes caused by old foes

...now in La Gomera ???
(Source: Endesa.com)

I remember a few years ago there was a bundle of mains supply cables fallen to the ground from my old neighbour's house with some blank wires showing where the insulation was chafed through by the now corroded away wall bracket. The incident was reported by all neighbours immediately and many times thereafter but nothing happened even though every time it rained or when there was high humidity, noisy blue and green sparks were dancing around merrily several feet in the air and the wires began glowing ominously with louder explosive bursts showering the surroundings in orange to white glowing embers. Endesa eventually put a bit of insulating tape around 'the wound' and tied it high again while wearing 3000-Volt-proof rubber gloves. The crew were very proud of having the latter and said this protection was ''muy importante'' when working in La Gomera. A few months later a study was undertaken for new electricity lines, but only after the whole lot had fallen down again, now sparking away even more crazily in damp weather with the added effect of steam hissing from 'the wound' as well. Concerned neighbours kept reporting same to Endesa angrily, but were being assured by the emergency phone line operator that all would be fixed ''pronto'', soothingly adding ''at least you still have mains power''. Thankfully La Gomera's climate is mostly dry. 

Only about seven years later Endesa crews, who I must stress are very competent and amicable but suffering a mean employer, arrived and erected a couple of new poles with modern lines and all could breathe a sigh of relief with the electric fireworks and excitement in damp weather gone for good.

La Gomera had no electricity grid until the 1970s and much of the infrastructure dates back to those years, having been patched up here and there over the decades.

The current electricity emergency will continue for some time as the damage to equipment from Sunday's fire at the generating plant seems to be extensive. Endesa are now pointing the finger at Madrid as apparently they had previously notified the Spanish government of the poor state of the infrastructure.

The island's parliament today held an extraordinary emergency session and unanimously approved a motion calling on Endesa to cover the cost of losses suffered by business and private customers. The island's executive will defend the island's citizens' claims legally and will assist in preparing same, it was announced. An urgent demand for a reform of legislation governing the power supply of and in islands under Spanish jurisdiction will be sent to Madrid.

There'll be a lot of spoiled food going to the piggery and the dump over the coming days. Eating ice cream is definitely not recommended for a while !