Peak power shaving for a caribbean island

When one of their main 14 MW generators went down, the leading power company for a large island in the Bahamas faced a big problem. The island is powered by eight medium-sized heavy fuel oil (HFO) generators. If one generator failed, it would lack the power to handle its three daily peaks.

This was unacceptable for a company running 70% of an industrial island’s grid, including petrochemical manufacturers, major resorts, and the shipyard for the entire region’s cruise lines. Failure meant a blackout — and an immediate economic impact. Time and options were limited: they needed a peak shaving solution that provided reliable HFO power fast. Aggreko was quick to answer the call.

Our Miami-based team of experts engineered a diesel-powered peak shaving solution to quickly get backup power to the island. The solution was firmly in the grid by day ten. The company compared Aggreko to previous competitors, citing unparalleled engineering expertise and the ability to keep our generators on the grid. We provided the power company with as many as 46 1500 kW diesel power generators, eight on-site technicians, and more than two years of peak shaving service.

For more than two years, we helped this company address urgent peak shaving issues and provided 24/7 power for the island. The company quickly bounced back after two major threats: the failure of a critical power generator and the additional power problems caused by Hurricane Dorian. All with the technical expertise and efficient service of Aggreko.

The Caribbean features a potent but fragile economy. And despite difficulties like fuel limitations, vulnerable grids, and natural disasters, Aggreko helped this company adeptly address power obstacles for one of the region’s major islands. Without disrupting the local economy and empowering industries from chemical manufacturing to tourism.