Ebeye’s power situation was looking up this week, following nearly two months of power problems due to lack of generators.
Two rental generators in containers arrived on Ebeye late Sunday and the first one was hooked into the KAJUR power plant by late Monday, allowing normal power to return to most of the island. The second generator was connected to the plant by Wednesday.
The arrival of these two rental units adds to the one rental unit already in operation. The three generators will be able to regularize power service to the island.
Meanwhile, the long-term solution to Ebeye’s ongoing power woes is expected to be implemented before the end of the year, said Marshalls Energy Company CEO Jack Chong Gum.
Two new engines, including two radiators and exhaust systems, are expected to arrive Ebeye on October 25, he said. Two more new complete generator sets are expected to arrive Ebeye on November 29.
“The existing power station is being cleared, repaired and retrofitted to get it ready before the new engines arrive,” said Chong Gum. “We anticipate the new Gensets to be in operation by mid-December 2019.”
All of the new engines and generator sets, and associated components and parts, are provided through a grant awarded to the RMI government by the World Bank.
The four new engines each have a 1.2 megawatt capacity, which will give KAJUR 4.8MW of generating power. Ebeye’s peak power use is currently at 2.7MW. “Ebeye will have about 2MW of reserve power at any given time once the new engines funded by the World Bank are installed,” he said.
Read more about this in the October 11, 2019 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.