WILLEMSTAD – Heavy rains and storms over the weekend of September 19 caused multiple power outages across Curaçao, but Aqualectra reports that significant progress has been made in strengthening both production and distribution of electricity on the island.
Storm-Related Interruptions
On Friday, September 19, residents across several neighborhoods experienced temporary blackouts following strong winds and rain. Areas including Sta. Rosa, Sta. Catharina, Stenen Koraal, Cabo Verdeweg, and Seru Fortuna were affected as trees and debris damaged power lines. Customers in Rust en Vrede, Minguelito, Abrahamsz, and Popo also lost electricity as a result of storm conditions.
In some of these locations, technicians had to work under difficult circumstances, taking extra safety precautions while restoring service in the rain to avoid further hazards to both the public and Aqualectra staff.
Between Friday and Saturday morning, Aqualectra crews responded to 149 individual outages across the island. One of the largest incidents occurred in Rondeklip and Bonam, where a utility pole caught fire after being struck by lightning. Repairs required a six-hour shutdown of power in parts of Rondeklip on Saturday morning while the pole was replaced.
Positive Advances in Energy Storage
Despite the storm-related setbacks, Aqualectra highlighted encouraging developments in its ongoing efforts to modernize Curaçao’s electricity grid. On Thursday, September 18, the company successfully completed final tests on the new Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
By the very next day, the benefits of the system became evident. Curaçao experienced its highest energy demand of the year, peaking at 142 megawatts. During that peak, Aqualectra drew 12 megawatts from the BESS to meet demand without any disruption to customers.
On Friday, with demand reaching 127.2 megawatts, the system supplied an additional 5 megawatts for four hours, again ensuring uninterrupted service. By Saturday, September 20, production capacity was sufficient to cover demand without needing to use the stored energy, demonstrating the flexibility and reliability of the system.
Building a Reliable and Sustainable Future
The BESS works by storing excess energy—particularly from wind power and other sources—during times of low demand, and releasing it back into the grid when consumption rises. This technology helps stabilize the grid during extreme weather and peak demand periods, which are becoming increasingly common due to hotter seasons and higher reliance on cooling systems.
Aqualectra emphasized that every investment in infrastructure is aimed at serving the community. From advanced battery systems to customer service improvements, the utility’s mission remains to provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy to the people of Curaçao.
“These tangible results show that our investments are not just technical milestones, but direct contributions to a stronger, more dependable energy future for the island,” Aqualectra stated.
