Eversource is set to begin making repairs this week on the submarine cable to Martha’s Vineyard that failed last month.
In an email to the Gazette, a spokesman for the utility giant said a barge was due to arrive in Woods Hole on Monday. The barge will be set in Vineyard Sound later in the week, Eversource spokesman William Hinkle said in the email.
Depending on weather, tides and other factors, the cable reapirs are expected to take two to four weeks, he also said.
Rolling blackouts and temporary power outages were experienced across the Island over the weekend of July 16, after one of four undersea cables that bring power to the Vineyard failed. Soon after Eversource sent out dive teams to locate the fault.
“Since Monday, July 26, diving teams have been conducting a thorough examination of the submarine cable to locate the fault and ensure that no other faults are found,” Mr. Hinkle said in the email. “To date, more than 5,000 feet of cable have been inspected, and we have confirmed the location of a single fault.”
Mr. Hinkle said since July 23, 15 generators have been in use to provide power backup after the cable failed.
“Through a combination of our remote system operators constantly monitoring the system to shift load on the active circuits, the existing permanent generation on the Island and the temporary additional back-up generation, we have been able to ensure safe, reliable service for our customers since the cable faulted, and we are confident that will remain the case as this process continues,” he wrote.
“We will also continue to remain in close contact with our communities, local officials and our regulators to provide updates as available.”
In May, Eversource canceled plans to build a large battery storage facility on the Vineyard for backup power.
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