By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net SINCE the government launched its third Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) reconnection programme in February 2012, 5,499 persons have made payment arrangements with the Corporation. Arnett Ingraham, BEC's spokeswoman, told Tribune Business that this number included persons whose electricity had been cut off, as well as persons who wanted to avoid the disconnection of their electricity supply. "The number of persons we have in total are 5,499, and that is the number of persons who have come in and made payment arrangements. It should be noted that not all of those people had their supply disconnected," she explained. "Some of them came in to ensure their supply continues and they just paid off their old bill over time, and are keeping current with their new bill. We don't have a separate number for that." Mrs Ingraham further added: "That 499 may be those people who made payment arrangements to ensure their supply was not disconnected. There were some 5,000 persons whose supply had been disconnected and they came in, made an arrangement and were able to restore their supply. "The others most likely were close to being disconnected or were disconnected just recently, and came in to make a payment arrangement so they can pay off their old balance over time and keep current with their new balance." Customers are required to pay their current electricity bill and something on the overdue portion of the bill.