Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Electricity
[I was asked: "Where you get your electricity from. Diesel generator? Wind turbine? Tidal barrage? Or does the boat also bring some very large Duracells?"]
Duracells might be more reliable: electricity on St. Helena is available 24/7 in theory.
There is a large diesel generator which suplies most of the island's needs most of the time. However we did have an unplanned power outage last week for which there was an interesting explanation: they decided that two Mynas had been sitting on adjacent power lines and had started a fight, thus shorting out the lines and popping the circuit breakers.
There are three wind turbines to add extra capacity. Sadly only one of the wind turbines actually works - the others are waiting for spare parts (since about 2003). The electricity men refuse to climb the towers (Health and Safety) so only the boss, goes up there, manfully waving his socket-set in the hope of achieving something. He got the one that does work going, before which there were all just expensive eyesores.
Wave/Tidal power would seem the obvious solution but nobody has tried it yet. Obvious solutions aren't popular in St. Helena. And as the biggest 'river' is less than 1 foot wide I think we can forget hydro-electric. So, on the whole, Duracells would seem to be a good plan. Can you send us about 2,000,000-a-week?
Give my love to the National Grid.
Duracells might be more reliable: electricity on St. Helena is available 24/7 in theory.
There is a large diesel generator which suplies most of the island's needs most of the time. However we did have an unplanned power outage last week for which there was an interesting explanation: they decided that two Mynas had been sitting on adjacent power lines and had started a fight, thus shorting out the lines and popping the circuit breakers.
There are three wind turbines to add extra capacity. Sadly only one of the wind turbines actually works - the others are waiting for spare parts (since about 2003). The electricity men refuse to climb the towers (Health and Safety) so only the boss, goes up there, manfully waving his socket-set in the hope of achieving something. He got the one that does work going, before which there were all just expensive eyesores.
Wave/Tidal power would seem the obvious solution but nobody has tried it yet. Obvious solutions aren't popular in St. Helena. And as the biggest 'river' is less than 1 foot wide I think we can forget hydro-electric. So, on the whole, Duracells would seem to be a good plan. Can you send us about 2,000,000-a-week?
Give my love to the National Grid.
