Power, Water and Internet for a New Office: Getting Connected

A new office in Grenada is not ready the day the lease is signed. Electricity must be in the right name and on the right tariff, water supply needs checking and usually backing up with storage, and internet must be ordered, installed and tested before staff arrive. Each utility has its own account opening process, documents and lead times, and a delay in one, typically internet installation, can hold up the opening of the whole business.

Grenada's utilities are few and well established. GRENLEC, the Grenada Electricity Services company, supplies electricity, with the sector regulated by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission. The National Water and Sewerage Authority, NAWASA, supplies water and sewerage where available. Fixed and mobile internet come mainly from Flow and Digicel. This guide explains how to get each one connected for business premises and what to check in advance. Deposits, tariffs and processes change, so confirm current requirements with each provider.

Electricity: transferring or opening a GRENLEC account

Most office premises already have an electricity connection and meter. Your task is to have the account transferred to your business or opened in its name, rather than continuing in the landlord's or previous tenant's name. Read the meter on the day you take possession, with the landlord present if possible, and photograph it, so you pay only for your own consumption.

GRENLEC will typically ask for identification of the account holder, proof of the right to occupy such as the lease, and for a company, registration documents and authority for the person signing. A security deposit is common for new commercial accounts; the amount may be linked to expected consumption, so a business with heavy air conditioning or equipment loads should expect a higher figure.

Commercial and residential tariffs differ. If you are converting a house into an office, check which tariff will apply. If premises have no supply or need a new or upgraded service, for example three-phase power for machinery or a large air conditioning system, ask GRENLEC early about the application, inspection and connection process. Any new electrical installation generally has to be inspected and approved before it is connected, so involve a licensed electrician from the start.

Water: supply, storage and quality

Check the supply. NAWASA supplies most populated areas, but pressure and continuity vary by location and season. Ask neighbours and the landlord how often supply is interrupted, especially in the dry season from roughly January to May, when restrictions and scheduled interruptions are more likely.

Account in the right name. As with electricity, have the water account transferred to the business, read the meter at handover and settle the previous occupant's arrears with the landlord, not yourself.

Storage tanks. Many Grenadian buildings have water storage tanks and a pump to keep taps and toilets running during interruptions. Check that the tank exists, is clean and covered, and that the pump works. A salon, restaurant or clinic without adequate storage may have to close during a cut.

Drinking water. Many offices supply bottled water from dispensers for staff and visitors. If you rely on mains water, ask about filtration, particularly after heavy rain or disruption to supply.

Sewerage and waste water. Parts of St George's and the south are on sewerage networks; elsewhere buildings use septic systems. A food business or one producing significant waste water should check what the building has and what approvals apply.

Internet: ordering early and building redundancy

Business internet in Grenada comes mainly from Flow and Digicel, both offering fibre in many areas of the south and main towns, along with business packages that may include static IP addresses, service level commitments and priority repair. Coverage is building by building, not just area by area, so ask both providers to confirm what they can deliver to your exact unit before signing the lease.

Order as soon as the lease is agreed. Installation lead times vary with demand and the work required, and a building that has never had fibre may need cabling from the street. Ask for a firm installation date and plan the move around it, rather than assuming internet will arrive in days.

For any business that cannot stop when the connection drops, two independent connections are the norm: a main fibre line from one provider and a backup from the other, either a second fixed line or a mobile data router. A router that fails over automatically between them saves staff from noticing the switch. Keep the router, modem and network switch on an uninterruptible power supply so that short power cuts do not take the office offline.

Backup power and solar

GRENLEC's supply is generally reliable, but outages occur, particularly during storms and when lines are damaged. Even short interruptions can damage equipment and cause data loss. At a minimum, protect computers and network equipment with UPS units and surge protection. Grenada uses 230 volts at 50 hertz, so make sure equipment imported from North America is rated for it or used with a suitable transformer.

For longer outages, options include a standby diesel or petrol generator with an automatic transfer switch, or a battery storage system. Check whether the building already has a generator, who maintains it, how fuel is paid for and which circuits it covers. A shared generator in a plaza may power common areas and lighting but not your air conditioning.

Rooftop solar has grown in Grenada, and businesses can install systems subject to the rules set under the electricity legislation and GRENLEC's interconnection requirements. For a tenant, solar usually depends on the landlord's agreement and the length of the lease. If you own the building, a solar and battery system can reduce bills and provide backup, but take advice on sizing, approvals and how the system will cope with hurricane-force winds.

A utilities timeline for a new office

Working backwards from your opening date avoids the common scramble in the final week.

1. Before signing the lease, confirm which internet providers serve the unit and whether the building has adequate electrical capacity, water storage and backup power.
2. On signing, order internet installation and ask for a date.
3. At handover, read and photograph the electricity and water meters, and check the condition of the tank, pump and electrical panel.
4. Open or transfer the GRENLEC and NAWASA accounts in the business's name, paying any deposits required.
5. Arrange any electrical upgrades with a licensed electrician and allow time for inspection before connection.
6. Install UPS units, surge protection and the backup internet connection, and test failover.
7. Set up payment of bills by standing order or online banking so that accounts do not fall into arrears.

Mistakes that cost money

Leaving accounts in the landlord's or the previous tenant's name is the most common error. It seems simpler, but it blurs responsibility for arrears and makes it hard to claim the deposit back or prove payment in a dispute. Another is skipping the meter reading at handover and ending up paying for months of a predecessor's consumption.

Many tenants also underestimate air conditioning costs. Electricity in Grenada is expensive by North American standards, largely because most of it is generated from imported diesel fuel, and an office running several old units all day can produce bills that surprise a new business. Ask the landlord for recent bills, consider replacing inefficient units if you can agree costs, and set sensible thermostat rules.

Finally, businesses often install a single internet line and only think about backup after the first outage costs them a day's work or a client call. Redundancy is cheap compared with lost trade. Check, too, that the internet contract is in the business's name and that you hold the admin passwords for the router, rather than leaving them with the installer or a former employee.

Frequently asked questions