Safety A Priority at Light & Power’s
Clean Energy Bridge (CEB) Plant
Safety A Priority at Light & Power’s Clean Energy Bridge (CEB) Plant Safety is important to The Barbados Light & Power Company, as is partnerships for the delivery of good service to our customers. Recently, an extensive safety evacuation exercise at the new Clean Energy Bridge (CEB) plant at Trents in St. Lucy demonstrated these important aspects of the utility’s operations.
Those participating in the drill were Light & Power employees and contractors, with support from The Barbados Fire Service (BFS). The activities consisted of simulating a fire event on one of the plant’s engines to test the effectiveness of the site’s responsiveness and evacuation procedures, as well as initiating a response from the Fire Service.
A post event analysis was conducted to identify opportunities for improvement.
It was the first of several safety drills planned for this year to ensure that CEB employees and partners are fully prepared in the event that a site evacuation is required.
Highlighting some of the safety initiatives at the plant, Light & Power’s Engineering Manager, Planning and Projects and CEB Project Manager, Dave Skeete informed that, “As with all Light & Power sites, safety at this new plant is paramount. The plant’s fire protection systems are designed to meet stringent international safety standards.
Additionally, at the planning stage we consulted The BFS to ensure optimal layout of the plant’s fire hydrants and other key fire suppression equipment. This is so that as a contingency measure, fire department connections can be efficiently utilized to supply water for firefighting to the various zones at the site.”
ins committed to safely providing energy and energy services that are cost effective and reliable for our customers.”
Extensive commissioning tests were performed on these systems by the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contractor and post installation inspections were performed by senior personnel from the BFS.
Site familiarization sessions were also held with fire officers from the Arch Hall Station who were on standby at site when the plant was started for the first time.
Close to thirty (30) persons, including highly skilled workers in several specialized areas, were hired for the new facility. These employees are going through special safety training as the plant is being prepared for commercial operation.
As a bridging solution and a plant that will provide backup power for times when the output of renewable sources is lower, the highly efficient CEB is a part of Light & Power’s thrust to support the Barbados National Energy Policy’s (BNEP) target of 100% renewable energy by 2030. According to Skeete, “We have been conscientious in our planning to ensure that the plant is compliant with the highest safety and environmental standards. Light & Power rema