NRECA’s Haiti co-op devastated by Hurricane Matthew
A co-op in Haiti built by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Associate (NRECA) was found destroyed on Monday after Hurricane Matthew destroyed the Cooperative Electrique de l’Arrondisement des Côteaux (CEAC) just 13 months after it was inaugurated.
CEAC serviced three communities in southwest Haiti, all of which were also destroyed. Almost all of CEAC’s lines and poles were damaged, if not completely destroyed.
CEAC employed a solar-diesel hybrid system to generate electricity. An initial assessment estimates that approximately 80 percent of the solar panels were damaged and will be unusable. CEAC’s two diesel generators and two diesel tanks were not reported to be damaged.
“The communication and transport infrastructure was badly damaged, and it will be quite a challenge for us to design an effective relief and recovery effort,” International Senior Vice President of NRECA Dan Waddle said. “We have additional staff deployed to the area, because what we need most immediately is data and information regarding the extent of the damage and the resources required to begin to address the needs of the community.”
Downed poles, wires and trees remain scattered across surrounding roads. NRECA International officials plan to focus initial efforts on clearing the debris. It is expected to take some time before electric service can be reestablished, but U.S. co-ops have already pledged their support when the time comes.
