The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank reported a fire caused by a lithium-ion battery explosion at one of two battery storage plants on its campus in Saint Kitts and Nevis on 11 June and confirmed there were no injuries and no disruption to the Bank’s operations. The Bank also said there was no damage to the second battery storage container at the same location or to any Bank buildings, and staff will work from home for the next two days as a health and safety precaution. The affected battery storage system housed 170 lithium-ion batteries used to power the Sir K Dwight Venner building at night using excess solar photovoltaic electricity from the Bank’s solar canopy park and has been shut down. A representative from the system’s manufacturer, ELM FieldSight, is due to visit on 13 June to assess the incident and investigate its causes; the Bank noted its wider solar project has one megawatt alternating current generating capacity and 3.3 megawatt hours of battery storage capacity.
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank 2025-06-12
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank shuts down battery storage system after lithium-ion explosion and schedules manufacturer assessment
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank reported a lithium-ion battery explosion at its Saint Kitts and Nevis campus, causing a fire but no injuries or operational disruptions. The affected battery storage system, powering the Sir K Dwight Venner building, has been shut down, with an investigation by ELM FieldSight scheduled. Staff will work remotely for two days as a precaution.