Cumberland 3 Hydropower Station to Shut Down After Nearly 40 Years

A photograph of the Cumberland 3 Hydropower Station as posted by VINLEC.

By S.Browne. Updated 12:50 p.m., Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) has announced that it will decommission the pipeline serving the Cumberland 3 Hydropower Station and shut down the station’s generators effective 30th September 2025, after nearly 40 years of service.

This decision follows engineering assessments and community engagement that considered safety, social and environmental factors, as well as the feasibility of alternative pipeline routes.

Cumberland 3, commissioned in 1986, is one of three stations in the cascade system operated by VINLEC in the Spring Village area. It is the power station visible from the main road.

“Cumberland 3 has served the country for nearly four decades. However, there are now homes that have been constructed much closer to the wood-stave pipeline that serves Cumberland 3 than when it was originally constructed, and this potentially presents a danger to occupants of those homes in the event of a catastrophic pipeline failure, which could be caused by a variety of reasons,” Dr. Vaughn Lewis, VINLEC’s Chief Executive Officer, said.

In addition to residents’ safety, social and environmental considerations were also raised by community members, who noted that water diversion for power generation significantly reduces river flow in the dry season and affects the use of the river for washing and recreation.

VINLEC reassured the public that this action will not affect the electricity supply, stating: “Decommissioning Cumberland 3, which accounts for less than 2% of VINLEC’s total electricity output, will not affect the reliability of electricity supply.” It further stated: “Operations will continue at the two other hydro-stations in the Cumberland system, Cumberland 1 and Cumberland 2, which produce significantly more energy than Cumberland 3. The hydropower stations at South Rivers and Richmond, both of which generate more energy than Cumberland 3, will also continue to operate.”

VINLEC urged residents to stay clear of all pipeline infrastructure: “For continued safety, refrain from touching, tampering, digging, and constructing homes or any other structures in close proximity to VINLEC pipelines.”

The Cumberland 3 compound will also remain open, as it is the location from which operators monitor and run Cumberland 1 and 2, as well as the Richmond Power Station. It also houses a number of other essential services.

VINLEC stated that despite the retirement of Cumberland 3, it continues to advance several renewable energy projects to ensure continued progress towards sustainability. These include replacing the Lowmans Bay solar farm with a larger, modern system that will replace over half of Cumberland 3’s renewable energy output. This project is on schedule for completion in the second half of 2026.

There is also an ongoing project to install a 5MWh battery storage system at the Cane Hall Power Station to improve generator efficiency, reduce fuel use, and support more renewables on the grid from both VINLEC and private installations.