Powergen not accepting responsibility for oil spill

Port-of-Spain: State-owned Powergen says clean-up operations following an oil spill that seemed to come from one of its storage tanks will continue over the next few days but the company is not claiming liability for the spill.

Powergen says in a media release that the company was informed on December 16th by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs of oil in water near the port of Port-of-Spain, appearing to have come from the fuel storage tank on Wrightson Road.

Powergen says its officials later observed oil from an opening in a side of the city drains which flowed through the port and into the sea.

The company says it worked closely with the EMA, the Ministry and the port, to ensure rapid clean-up of the affected areas and assets and adds that they expect the clean-up operations to continue over the next few days.

However, Powergen says nothing contained in the release is to be construed as an admission by the company of any liability for leakage or spillage of oil or for any claims arising as a result of it.