The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE 2015 Caribbean Association of Electric Utilities’ (CARILEC) Engineering and Occupational Health and Safety Conference aims to enhance the electrical services experienced by member countries, said association chairman Hugo Hodge Jr.

The five-day conference, hosted at the Atlantis Resort, is considered CARILEC’s flagship conference and brings together more than 200 engineers and servicemen from more than 38 countries around the world.

According to Mr Hodge, who in addition to serving as CARILEC’s chairman also sits as the Executive Director (CEO) of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA), this year’s conference is designed to strengthen the joint-action initiatives of the association.

He contended that beyond the conference’s theme of “Engineering for Safety and Sustainability”, participants will leave with an improve working relationship with regional counterparts that will, in time, improve their overall service.

He said: “There is a lot going on in the industry, a lot of change taking place, there is development, engineers are becoming more and more efficient, engines and units; and there is more fuel that is being made available.

“One thing (about the conference) you will be able to come out and see what is available technology-wise. See if what you are using is the best product for what you are trying to achieve, is there something else you can use and sometime you might have a product and you come out here and find out that they have a new attribute that they can even enhance what you are doing some more.

As the conference’s host utility, Bahamas Electrical Corporation (BEC) has taken centre stage, with General Manager Kevin Basden suggesting that this week’s event will allow the power company a chance to see where it sits on a regional level.

Mr Basden indicated that the number one goal for employees of BEC will be gaining as much knowledge as possible on products used and how it correlates to the services the company delivers.

“At the end of the day it is about improving our service in all aspects,” he said.

“The products we use, the manner in which we install those products, the prices which we can buy those products at so that we can improve our service.”

To date, BEC has stepped up its maintenance programme by upgrading overhead lines and cables.

In addition to that, the company has developed plans it says will lead to generation expansion in terms of putting in new generation to replace the company’s dated units.

Meanwhile, Mr Basden said of the conference: “These conferences are designed to impart knowledge about the utility business, it gives our engineers an opportunity to meet with counterparts in the region as well as other suppliers in the region to assist with benchmarking best practices; improving things of that nature.

“From BEC’s perspective, as we are the host we have any number of our engineers participating in this conference as well. And it is not just about engineering, but this conference also includes safety.

“Safety also is very important in our business.”

As a part of the conference participants will sit through a number of presentations from industry leaders and product developers over the first 3-days of the conference.