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Two switches shut down; FortisTCI assures they were ready in this week’s unexpected power failure

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#Providenciales, June 7, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – A series of switch failures is what led to the two power outages of Tuesday June 4 and Wednesday June 5; for some residents it meant more than 24-hours without electricity and for FortisTCI it meant pulling the back-up out of stock. 

FortisTCI’s CEO, Eddinton Powell held a press conference this morning at the headquarter office on Leeward Highway in Providenciales, where media learned that it was failure of one switch and then another which caused the two black outs.

“The first outage began on Tuesday June 4, approximately 8:54 a.m. and service was fully restored to all customers by 10:37 a.m.  This outage was the result of failed electrical equipment at the main substation.  A second outage began on the same day in the late afternoon at approximately 4:52 p.m., following the failure of another critical path high voltage switch on the transmission system to the company’s substations, which serve customers via underground cables.”

Mr. Powell called the latter switch ‘critical path switch’, responsible for dispatching 35 kV of electricity; a high voltage switch which would take more work and a longer time to restore.  It is also the switch which feeds the Grace Bay Substation, which carries electricity to Leeward and Leeward Palms; all three areas were longest without electricity earlier this week.

“You just can’t move those transmission and distribution lines that are connected to that switch.  In effect what we had to end up doing, and this is why it took so long is we had to replace that entire switch. Replacing that switch, programming the new switch, using heavy equipment and cranes to move that switch into place because these switches weigh tons.  You’ve got to bring in specialty cranes to move the switch and then that took time to reconnect all of this transmission and distribution line.”

Mr. Powell confirmed that no part had to be brought in; that foresight on the part of FortisTCI ensured that the company was ready to respond to what was an unexpected technical failure.

“I want to ensure all of our customers that this country has a very good utility, not withstanding the incidents we’ve had,” Mr. Powell also shared that, “In the case of the last outages where our customers were, in some cases, out for 24-hours, we had to replace that entire equipment and we had that equipment in stock.  We did not have to bring that in and that is another indication of how well you plan for these kinds of things because you can have critical equipment in stock for years and it doesn’t move but until you that time when you need it, you need to have it and we had it.”

Public reaction to the prolonged power outage was varied, but comments on social media mainly lambasted the electricity company for the system failure, the inconveniences it was causing and a lag in communication with the general public. 

The CEO apologised, thanked the public for its patience, thanked the team for a job well done and repeated that the Turks and Caicos has a very good utility company in FortisTCI.

Forty staff members worked to restore the electricity, which while off for a full day in Grace Bay impacted households, schools, tourism operations and businesses.

Electricity was restored on June 5, 2019 at 7:46 p.m. “without further incident.”

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Multi-Agency Operation Conducted to Serve Notices of Illegal Occupation in Blue Hills

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Friday, 29 May 2026The Crown Land Unit (CLU), in coordination with the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) and key partner agencies, conducted a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 21 May 2026, in sections of the Blue Hills and Stammers Run areas of Providenciales. The exercise focused on the serving of Section 22 Notices and Letters of Illegal Occupation on parcels where unauthorised occupation and development activity were identified.

The operation was led by the Crown Land Unit, with coordination and support provided by the ISU. Additional support was provided by the TCI Border Force, while security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. All agencies worked collaboratively to ensure the operation was carried out in a safe, orderly, and controlled manner.

The exercise was conducted pursuant to the mandate of the Crown Land Unit under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown Land. During inspections conducted across multiple parcels within Block 60502, several unauthorised structures constructed of concrete and timber were identified. Occupied structures were served with Letters of Illegal Occupation, while Notices of Illegal Occupation were affixed to unoccupied structures or served where appropriate.

In total, fourteen (14) Letters of Illegal Occupation and thirteen (13) Notices of Illegal Occupation were served during the operation. Notices and letters were either delivered directly to occupants or posted on structures in instances where occupants or the persons responsible for the construction were absent.

The Turks and Caicos Islands Government wishes to emphasise that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown Land constitute breaches of the Crown Land Ordinance and undermine lawful land administration and planning processes.

The Government remains committed to protecting Crown land, preventing unlawful occupation, and supporting safe, orderly, and sustainable development across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Multi-agency operations such as these form part of ongoing efforts to uphold the rule of law while advancing broader objectives related to land management, public safety, and community development.

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TCI Aviation Notice System Moves from U.S. to U.K. Platform

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Turks and Caicos, May 29, 2026 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority has quietly implemented a significant change to how critical aviation notices are distributed, shifting the publication of its Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, from the United States system to a United Kingdom-based platform.

In a statement issued to the aviation community, TCIAA advised that effective May 13, 2026, at noon, all Turks and Caicos Islands NOTAMs began being published through the UK NOTAM Office, operated by National Air Traffic Services (NATS), under the U Series classification.

The move means pilots, airlines, dispatchers and flight planning teams can no longer rely on the Federal Aviation Administration’s traditional NOTAM source to locate current operational notices for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

NOTAMs are essential aviation communications used to alert pilots and operators to temporary changes that could affect flight operations, including runway closures, navigational aid outages, airspace restrictions and other safety-related information.

According to the Airports Authority, the transition is part of a broader aviation modernization programme and will remain in place until TCIAA commissions its own Aeronautical Information Management and Aeronautical Message Handling System capability.

The authority stressed that the change does not affect flight operations or aviation safety.

“At this time, there is no interruption to air traffic operations or safety-critical services,” the TCIAA said, noting that operational information will continue to be communicated through established Air Traffic Control channels.

The authority urged airlines, charter operators, flight planners and other aviation stakeholders to ensure their operational teams are aware of the new publication source to avoid missing important notices.

While largely administrative, the shift represents another step in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ effort to modernize its aviation infrastructure and align more closely with international aviation information management standards.

The Airports Authority thanked stakeholders for their cooperation as the transition moves forward.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Dog Owners Charged After Pack Attack Kills Dog at Taylor Bay Beach

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Turks and Caicos, May 29, 2026 – A fatal dog attack at one of Providenciales’ most popular beaches has resulted in swift enforcement action, with authorities identifying and charging the owners of the animals involved.

The Department of Agriculture says a group of dogs attacked and killed another dog at Taylor Bay Beach in Chalk Sound on May 18, in an incident witnessed by beachgoers and visitors.

Investigators moved quickly, determining that the dogs involved were registered and owned by residents of the Chalk Sound community. Accompanied by officers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Agriculture officials visited the owners and issued citations under the Dog Control Ordinance.

Each owner was fined a total of $1,500, including a $1,000 penalty for allowing a dog to roam in a public space without a leash and a $500 fine for having a dog exhibiting aggressive behaviour in a public area.

While the attack ended with the death of a dog, authorities noted that the outcome could have been far worse had a person, child or tourist become caught up in the incident.

Minister of Agriculture Zhavargo Jolly said the government takes incidents involving uncontrolled or aggressive animals seriously and praised the swift response by enforcement officers.

“While this was an isolated incident, it is unacceptable and swift enforcement action was taken by the Department of Agriculture and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force,” said Jolly.

The minister stressed that residents and visitors should be able to enjoy public beaches safely and that dog owners have a responsibility to keep their animals secured and under control at all times.

The Department of Agriculture is reminding pet owners that dogs must be leashed in public spaces and properly registered. Officials are also encouraging owners to ensure their animals are microchipped as part of responsible pet ownership practices.

The incident remains under review, but authorities say the case demonstrates that violations of the Dog Control Ordinance will result in enforcement action.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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