NV GEBE

© NV GEBE

NV GEBE – HISTORY SYNOPSIS NV GEBE, the Government owned utility company, charged with the production and distribution of electricity and the management of the distribution of drinking water on the island, on behalf of the government, celebrated its 60th anniversary on September 16, 2020. GEBE, short for Gemeenschappelijk Electriciteitsbedrijf Bovenwindse Eilanden, and formerly known as GESM (Gemeenschappelijk Electriciteitsbedrijf St. Maarten), changed its name in the 1960s to include the establishment of the company on the other two Dutch Windward Islands; of Saba and St. Eustatius. This constellation remained intact until January 01, 2014 when the division of shares took place on December 13, 2013 and the government of each island became the rightful owner of its local electricity company.

NV GEBE VISION

In executing its vision to provide the 16 square mile community of Dutch St. Maarten “with regionally competitive, qualityefficient, sustainable and reliable services and products,” the company employs some 242 employees, and is headed temporarily by Mr. Mauricio Dembrook. Process engineer by profession, Mr. Dembrook was appointed to the position on February 19, 2021 and considers his appointment a great opportunity.

NV GEBE PRODUCTION

N.V. GEBE Production Installed Capacity is presently (in time of writing Wednesday March 3rd, 2021) 87.45 megawatts (MW) with an operational capacity of approximately 76.40 MW. The production capacity of N.V. GEBE hit its highest point of 57.24 MW on Wednesday October 19th, 2016.

© NV GEBE

The Production Plant located in Cape Bay, is predominantly outfitted with Wartsila diesel engine generator sets with nameplate capacities between 8 and 11.3 MW. Our two Caterpillar generators consisting of our smallest load of 1.6 MW combined, are our Black Start engines. The 2016 purchased dual fuel diesel generator set is equipped to perform on LNG and plans are again in motion to purchase an additional 11.3 MW dual fuel diesel generator set. Invitations for tenders had already been sent out on August 17, 2017 and a site visit completed on September 01 when just five days later Hurricane Irma struck St. Maarten, plummeting our output and any immediate plans for a new engine. The engine is, however, scheduled to be purchased and operational in the short-term future.

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NV GEBE DISTRIBUTION

ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION

Our largest cables are the transmission cables which carry a transmission voltage of 12,500 volts. Post Hurricane Luis of September 05, 1995, and with St. Maarten being in the hurricane belt, all transmission cables were placed underground. These cables deliver power to four sub stations strategically located throughout the community; Cape Bay, Mullet Bay, Zagersgut and Philipsburg.

The four stations deliver the electricity to the 480 transformers around the island through our distribution network, also at 12,500 volts. The transformers break down the voltage to 220 and 127 volts for residential and commercial clients, and 460 volts for some industrial clients, maintaining the frequency of 60 Hz throughout the network.

Distribution High Voltage 12,500 V Network Length 320 km Electricity Meters Installed 20,893

The underground laying of our high voltage distribution system still needs to be finalized. The high voltage distribution system is 97% underground, and by the end of 2020 will be totally underground. Our low voltage distribution system is 80% underground, and by 2024 will be totally underground. This project, though costly, will allow the distribution network to recover more quickly after a hurricane wreaked damage.

NV GEBE will in the nearest future upgrade the high voltage transmission system to a higher voltage level, resulting in a capacity increase of 100%. This upgrade will extend the

operational life of our transmission system for at least 30 more years. Our transformer houses will also be upgraded to accommodate the demands of the existing and new customers. This upgrade has been given a time frame of 5 years.

WATER DISTRIBUTION

In 1996, NV GEBE signed an agreement with Government to manage the distribution of potable water, produced by Air Fin NV. Through these years NV GEBE increased the number of water storage tanks to 17. Today, post Hurricane Irma, there are a total of 10 water tank in operation with 7 tanks being repaired or under construction. NV GEBE is in motion to regain the number of 17 water tanks in operation by the end of 2021. The new tanks are being built of Glass Fused to Steel bolted sheets, which offer the highest quality of water to our customers.

The major base of our customers receives NV GEBE distributed water by gravity from these storage tanks, while others receive it directly from pumps. NV GEBE has an amount of 27 pump houses throughout its water distribution

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network that distribute the water and fill the storage tanks. Our pump houses are scheduled to undergo an upgrade to best suit our existing and future demand. The estimated completion of this upgrade is 2024.

The transportation of water occurs via the main water network, which consist of the coated ductile iron (CDI) pipes, with sizes from DN100 (4”) to DN400 (16”) in diameter. Our secondary network supplies the water to our clients, consisting of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) flexible pipes.

Water Demand

Network Length 16,500 m³/day 270 km

Water Meters Installed 20,292

COMMERCIAL

NV GEBE services a total number of 41,277 customers which are divided into two groups; domestic and commercial.

Domestic Customer

Commercial customer (including 18 large consumers 35,345

5,932

Electricity Meters Water Meters 20,975

20,302

Our Customer Care is devoted to providing the overall great experience to our customers. Our employees, both in the field and office, are called to go above and beyond the call of just mere courtesy and to carry out their duties beyond the expectation of the customer. The ever-changing times, have today invoked and sometimes, rightly so, a demanding society and therewith a need for NV GEBE to stay abreast with the market solutions for more efficient means of producing and distributing our services, and a more customer preferred method of executing these services.

An overhaul of our metering system is on the table. New electricity and water meters will be changed out over a course of 3 years, including the infrastructure to read, disconnect and reconnect these meters remotely. Another feature that will be included is the prepaid option for the electricity meters. The top-up for these meters will have several options to best suit our customers.

NV GEBE AND HURRICANE IRMA

On September 06, 2017, Hurricane Irma, packing winds of more than 190 mph devastated St. Maarten and with it, NV GEBE. Water storage tanks were heavily dented; office buildings were left without roofs and walls; the production plant, though considerably damaged, was luckily spared enough to run an output of 10 MW three days later, the distribution network was left in chaos and employees were left astonished. energy. Unfortunately, this transition is reliant on land area and solid contracts for use of roofing space of office buildings, schools, homes or any available space that can be fitted with solar panels.

The intention is also to acquire Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) to operate the Production Plant engines on. LNG is a much cleaner fuel with lower maintenance costs and is more environmentally friendly than the current fuel being used. NV GEBE has to keep up to date with the current industry standards in terms of technology and equipment, and with the investments scheduled for the near future, NV GEBE will be doing just that.

In 2016, NV GEBE entered into an LOI with Sunshine Real Estate to develop a 2 MW solar park. The solar park is set to adorn the government owned car parks in the capital area of Philipsburg. The Managing Board has already requested Government the rights of way to install the park on the property.

WORDS FROM MANAGEMENT

While our immediate future is still tied to fossil fuels, NV GEBE continues to strive towards diversifying its electricity production to Renewable Energy, more particularly, solar energy. Unfortunately, this transition is reliant on land area and solid contracts for use of roofing space of office buildings, schools, homes or any available space that can be fitted with solar panels.

The intention is also to acquire Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) to operate the Production Plant engines on. LNG is a much cleaner fuel with lower maintenance costs and is more environmentally friendly than the current fuel being used. NV GEBE has to keep up to date with the current industry standards in terms of technology and equipment, and with the investments scheduled for the near future, NV GEBE will be doing just that.

NV GEBE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

While our immediate future is still tied to fossil fuels, NV GEBE continues to strive towards diversifying its electricity production to Renewable Energy, more particularly, solar

For more information about NV GEBE, visit their website at: www.nvgebe.com