Not the best scenario when we have an approaching system organizing who could pose again troubles...
Let's hope that this feature don't bring any damages in the buttflerly islands as Guadeloupe have big problems with the electricity
The tropical wave boombs and lead shot of 20,000 homes Boris COLOMBET / Sylvère SELBONNE / David NIRIBAL France-Antilles Guadeloupe01.08.2012
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.a ... 180504.phpIN CAPESTERRE-BELLE-EAU. A raging fire is raised around 19: 30, in the precincts of the processing station. (Sylvère Selbonne)
Lightning, intense on Capesterre-Belle-Eau, hit Monday night the transformation this commune EDF position. At the height of the crisis, 20,000 customers have been deprived of power. While the situation was gradually returning in order in continental Guadeloupe, Marie-Galantais continued to live, yesterday afternoon, in the critical moments.
Click this link to see the VIDEO of the fire in the EDF position and PHOTOS of the damage : "VIDEO." Lightning hits an EDF position: always 9OO homes private electricity " "
The danger is not necessarily where expected it... Still marked by the extensive flooding of the month of may, many of Guadeloupian feared the effects of rain on the pass, Monday night, a particularly active wave. It was nothing. This time, it is the thunderstorm activity that was problem.
Evidenced by the violent fire that erupted around 19: 30, in the grounds of the position of transformation of Capesterre-Belle-Eau. Lightning strikes, particularly active and intense, caused impacts that broke up the asphalt before fall on a line voltage.
"A first explosion occurred on the line voltage in the River, at the level of institutions Pommez." Just after, a second has been sounded at the plant level. "It was like a firework," provided a waterfront installed on the heights of the Peru islet. Between the two events, other witnesses speak of a "flash moving in the direction of the Central".
Although designed to withstand the overvoltages and therefore to storm activity, the site is, this time, wracked. About 63,000 present Volt breakers, everything suggests that they were overwhelmed by the power of lightning. Consequence: 20,000 homes on the communes of Petit-Bourg, Capesterre, guava and Trois-Rivières and on the island of Marie-Galante were instantly immersed in the dark.
"Post source of Capesterre has critical importance because it supports several other present distribution positions on the Basse-Terre." "It is also here that share the submarine cable feeding Marie-Galante", recognized without detour Patrick Pognon, responsible for electricity in EDF Guadeloupe archipelago.
THE BEST DESPITE A GRADIENT NETWORKThroughout the night, EDF officers attempted to find solutions to rehydrate all of households impacted: "one of our priorities has been to isolate source of Capesterre from the rest of the network position, and then gradually rehydrate areas deprived of current with other present positions at Bay-Malhaut and river-effect Jarry.". Generators were also installed on the network and carried out repairs. "The first effects were soon to be felt: 1 100 customers always private electricity yesterday morning at 6: 30, the number was reduced to 900 late morning to reach 350 in the afternoon.
More problematic: the case of Marie-Galante where the generators of relief, specifically installed for this type of situation, never reached to start. Private power, la Grande Galette began also with mechanical effect, a be deprived of water during the day. But then again, the best would have started to emerge: "technicians were quickly dispatched on the spot and have managed to 1: 30 p.m., start groups." We have good hope, by the evening of Tuesday, rehydrate electricity 4 200 Galantais Marie affected and past clients private electricity in mainland Guadeloupe.
Despite the gradual return of the current, the situation would remain precarious. "We operate in degraded mode." We recommend that the population of Capesterre to limit its power consumption to not seek power systems and avoid new cuts. »
-THE FIGURE 350This is the number of households that, yesterday evening at 4: 30 pm, were always private electricity sector of Capesterre-Belle-Eau. EDF however believed to be able to restore the current for each night. As Marie-Galante, who lived a still more delicate situation (read further), the emergency generators eventually could be started around 13: 30. "Thanks to them, the situation began to improve gradually." Here again, we are hopeful power recharging 100% of 4,200 homes marie-galantais private power since Monday evening. »
-Smoke toxic and risk of electrocution"A fire in exceptional!" this is how lieutenant Lentilus, a s officer of the quartering of Caspesterre fire, summed up the intervention that has about 15 of his men and several emergency vehicles until almost midnight, Monday night. Beyond the difficulty inherent in this type of intervention since the the water use is proscribed in an electrical site, fire sodats had also to deal with a large release of toxic smoke, from the combustion of acid charged batteries.
To protect the population and avoid any intoxication, a security perimeter has been installed on several hundred metres, then only forty residents installed near the post of transformation were temporarily evacuated. All were finally able to return to their homes at the end of the intervention.
-THEY SAID
Nadine, resident on the heights of Capesterre, Ilet Peru: "I thought at the end of the world".
"What has happened Monday evening, was phenomenal. I thought at the end of the world. Only the last day had arrived. There were many thunderstorm and lightning in abundance. The sky was all lit white. And suddenly, between 19: 00 and 19: 30, I saw, home, a first explosion at the River, at the level of hardware: I do not know what the lightning hit but it was enough to put the wires to the ground. It was like Fireworks, with plenty of lights. Shortly after, a second explosion was heard. This time it was the EDF plant which was affected. There were plenty of smoke who came up to the House. Yet we live on the heights of the Peru islet. It was really frightening. My niece, who was in the House, began to scream and cry. We had the impression of being in a science fiction film. »
Laury Saint-Marc, this EDF on-call agent in the local of the position of processing at the time of the disaster: "I just had time to out me of the local."
"I was present in the premises when a flash from abroad stopped me." From a quick glance, I realized that a fire was spreading in Central. I had the chance to be all ready for the door to exit at this time because at the speed at which the fire spread, I have had that time to out me of the local and go to my car. »
-An extremely rare incidentWhat happened Monday night, Capesterre-Belle-Eau, continued to intrigue mobilized EDF technicians throughout the day yesterday on the ground. Starting with Patrick Pognon, responsible for electrical network: "It is difficult to say what exactly happened." Il seems lightning fallen several times in the sector and that it is this same lightning which was, apparently, eventually trigger a fire in the position of power of the source position. IL is important to clarify that our facilities are all equipped with protections intended, precisely, remove the sur-tensions. We will need to conduct extensive investigations and analyze this incident precisely to understand and determine what could have happened. »
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