NRECA Emergency Response Team Among First to Bring Relief to Haitian People
(International Foundation, January 26, 2010)

Two power transformers at a substation in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, lie on their sides following the January 12 earthquake.

When the world learned of the powerful earthquake that crippled Port-Au-Prince on January 12, Myk Manon, a 30-year veteran with NRECA International Programs, quickly led an emergency response team to the Haitian capital to coordinate NRECA's relief efforts and assess the devastated region's electricity needs.

In the days since, the team has worked with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other national and international agencies as well as the Dominican Republic energy sector to assess damage and repair equipment.

Among their accomplishment so far is a preliminary assessments of the power requirements for the University Hospital Center in central Port-au-Prince. The team also repaired two 250kva generators at the hospital.

The team also led the first on-the-ground inspection of the distribution network in Port-au-Prince and conducted initial assessments of eight of the city's substations. Early reports are that the capital's substations sustained heavy damage (see photo below), but distribution lines were largely intact. By Monday, January 25, the team had restored power to the Haitian electricity authority's main office building and established a wireless network with Internet access there. The team had also completed repairs to a substation and was preparing to energize a 69Kv line.

Going forward, the team will conduct system assessments and continue helping with repairs on the Port-Au-Prince transmission and distribution network. They are also helping create standardized inspection sheets in three languages (English, French and Spanish) for multi-national inspection teams. 

Future Needs

The team is currently developing a list of future equipment and volunteer needs for the restoration effort.  For more information on immediate needs click on the "Next Article" link below.

The Foundation continues to seek donations to the NRECA International Haiti Relief Fund. To contribute, go to the Foundation Web site and click on "Donate Now." Until further notice, all contributions received through the Web site will be earmarked for the Haiti Relief Fund.

You can also donate by mail. Send checks to the NRECA International Foundation at 4301 Wilson Blvd.; Arlington, VA -- 22203. Please indicate the donation is for the “Haiti Relief Fund.”

An arrangement with PayPal allows the Foundation to receive contributions until February 11 without fees.

As always, all donations are tax-deductible.

New: Keep track of NRECA International’s Haiti relief efforts on FaceBook.

For more information about NRECA International's relief efforts , please contact Ingrid Hunsicker via email or by phone at 703-907-5629.