Outages & Safety
Hurricane & Emergency Centre
North — 24 hours
Cap Estate to Dennery on the east, and Canaries on the west
Hurricane preparedness
Before the season starts
In the event of severe weather such as a hurricane, power outages are likely. Hurricanes are a natural weather phenomenon and severe weather brings extreme conditions associated with strong winds and lightning that can cause power outages. Every year we strive to be ready to respond. LUCELEC works closely with the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) to provide a cohesive national emergency response. The Company reviews and tests its response plans and protocols regularly to strengthen its service restoration processes.
Our office constantly monitors all approaching weather systems to enable the Company to prepare for potential operational problems before inclement weather strikes.
Just as our crews are ready to work safely in restoring power we encourage our customers to be prepared and keep themselves safe during significant weather events by following the simple safety tips we have included for your safety. It's best for both our Company and customers to understand the severe challenges hurricanes can present.
01
Before a storm
While there is still power and daylight.
- Visit the St. Lucia Meteorological Office at http://www.slumet.gov.lc and listen to radio and television broadcasts to stay informed about weather forecasts and reports for your area.
- Have flashlights, battery-powered radios and extra fresh batteries available in the event of power outages.
- Unplug all electrical appliances and equipment in the event of a thunderstorm. Lightning can produce high voltages on electrical networks that can damage equipment. Turn off and unplug as many appliances as possible that require electricity. It is not sufficient to just switch them off.
02
During a storm
Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized.
- Turn off your electricity at the circuit breaker if you evacuate or expect flood water to approach your home.
- Don't venture out in the dark because you might not see a downed power line that could be energized and dangerous.
- Stay away from low-hanging or downed power lines. Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized. Report any low-hanging or downed power lines by calling our Trouble Call Operators.
- If someone has touched a fallen line, stay away. Call emergency services as unskilled efforts to rescue the victim could be fatal for you and them.
- If a power line hits your car, stay inside, it is the safest place. If you must leave, jump clear of the car without touching the car’s body and the ground at the same time.
- Stay away from standing water – energized power lines could be submerged in the water.
Remember the "three don’ts" when using generators:
- Don't run a generator in the house;
- Don't run a generator in the garage; and
- Don't plug the generator directly into your home's main electrical system.
03
After a storm
Water and electricity outlast the wind.
- If your roof or windows leak, water in your walls and ceiling may come into contact with electrical wiring. Immediately turn off your circuit breakers, disconnect all electrical appliances that are still plugged in, and turn off all wall switches. Remember, never stand in water while operating switches or unplugging any electrical device.
- If your home is flooded, turn off your electrical power until a certified electrician inspects it thoroughly.
- If water has risen above the electrical outlets, contact a licensed electrician before turning on the main circuit breaker.
- Any submerged appliances or equipment will need to dry for at least one week and be checked by a qualified repair person prior to being turned on.
- Turn appliances on one-by-one after power is restored. This causes less stress to the power system and ensures that all customers get restored without unnecessary delays.
Afterwards
How power comes back
Restoring power during or after a storm is difficult, dangerous work. The first step to restoring power after a major storm is getting good assessments of the damage. This can take up to a full day after a major, widespread storm. The critical infrastructure circuits get top priority. LUCELEC will first restore power lines that bring electricity to public safety, health and welfare facilities such as hospitals, water pumping stations, police and fire departments and other emergency facility locations. After critical infrastructure circuits are restored, repairs are made to major lines and fuses to restore power to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time. Power restoration times can vary significantly, even in the same neighborhood.
Our crews will carry out restoration work throughout the day and will continue during the night while it is safe to continue. We will always have a team of employees organizing the day's jobs so repairs can be done in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Year round
Three that matter in any weather
- Contact LUCELEC before trimming or cutting down trees that are near overhead electrical wires.
- Look up and note the location of power lines before you begin working on a ladder. Be sure that ladders or scaffolds are far enough away so that you - and the ends of the tools you're using - don't come within 10 feet of power lines.
- Never use any electrical appliance in wet surroundings such as outdoors or in the rain.
Past events
Named storms
Advisories, restoration updates and the all-clear, kept together per event.
- Hurricane BerylBeryl passed Saint Lucia on Monday 1 July 2024. By LUCELEC's fourth system update, on Wednesday 3 July, power had been restored to all the relatively large affected areas. Small pockets of customers remained off supply with localised faults.
- Hurricane ElsaElsa passed Saint Lucia on Friday 2 July 2021. As at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday 4 July, LUCELEC had restored power to 99% of customers and completed all high-tension repair work. Small pockets of customers remained off supply with localised faults.
Outages & safety