STUCO – Statia Utility Company
The island utility keeping Statia's lights on and taps running
Why Go
STUCO isn't a hotel or a place to visit – it's the Statia Utility Company, the small but essential outfit that powers, waters and (occasionally) frustrates every household and guesthouse on Sint Eustatius.
The Experience
There's no lobby to walk into for travellers, but understanding STUCO is part of understanding Statia. The company delivers electricity from a hybrid solar-diesel plant just outside Oranjestad – reportedly the largest PV-genset-storage hybrid in the Caribbean – and produces the island's drinking water through three reverse-osmosis plants. If you rent a cottage or apartment on Statia, this is the entity behind the meter on the wall and the (drinkable) water from your kitchen tap. Data note: this listing is categorised as a hotel in our system but STUCO is a utility, not lodging – treat the practical info below as background context rather than accommodation.
What to Try
Nothing to 'try' on-site, but do note that Statia tap water is produced by STUCO's RO plants and is safe to drink – a small but genuine sustainability win on a Caribbean island where most visitors default to bottled. If you're curious about the energy transition, the solar park on the road toward Zeelandia is visible from several viewpoints and worth a glance as you drive by.
Insider Tip
Occasional water rationing and short power cuts do happen, especially in dry months or after storms. Ask your guesthouse host whether they have a backup cistern and inverter – most of the better rentals do – and keep a torch and a couple of litres of drinking water on hand so an outage becomes a non-event rather than a holiday-ruiner.
The Practical Stuff
Head office in Oranjestad, Sint Eustatius (Caribbean Netherlands). Customer service is for residents and businesses rather than tourists; visitors should route any utility issue through their accommodation host. Payment for short-stay guests is normally bundled into the room rate. Currency on Statia is the US dollar.
Pair It With
- Oranjestad Historic Core — STUCO's office sits in the capital, so pair a quick drive-past with a wander through the Fort Oranje and Upper Town heritage streets.
- Zeelandia Beach Guide — The road out to Zeelandia passes STUCO's solar park – handy if you want a glimpse of the island's renewable push on your way to the wild Atlantic side.
- Quill National Park Guide — After understanding how fragile island utilities are, a hike into the Quill's crater rainforest makes Statia's off-grid, low-impact character click into place.
