BEC is already cripplied. Baha Mar coming online will just create more havoc than we already have. Oh, and where is the 200 million going to come from?

BEC not crippled.....Just lame! To raise the $200M they can always simply raise VAT to 40% and site high VAT in U.K. as example why they should do it too.....Genius.....Pure genius......LOL

This is NOT news. What is astounding is that the powers that be seem to be JUST realizing that Bah Mar will cripple BEC, are they that dimwitted? This should have been a priority from the time the heads of agreement was signed. Where is the leadership in this hopeless country? is anyone thinking of the future, do our leaders have the capability to think 10-20 years down the road? One wonders!

Nope they don't. I'm willing to bet that in the heads of agreement there is a clause or heads up that additional power generation is required...just no one has gotten off of their lazy arses to put that ball in motion.

Baha Mar was grandstanding a R(equest)F(or)P(roposal) for its own renewable energy plant to produce electricity through photovoltaic systems. The process was handled very poorly and amateurish, and as I know of today, it did not happen and will not happen. If there is not enough energy for Baha Mar, it is their own mistake. If you build a resort like that in a place like the Bahamas where the management must know that infrastructure is a critical issue and don't deal with it, that will hit back home.

I also don't understand why the past governments did not require these big projects such as Albany, Ginn, Atlantis, Baha Mar to pick up the tab for the expanded infrastructure they consume (airport, energy, water plants, public transportation). This is amateurish as well by the governments of both political parties and all the people feeling or being responsible for the Bahamian economy and the well being of us Bahamians. Incl. the leading business men of the country, heads of Chamber of Commerce etc. But I guess this has to do with the sweet sound of money. The whole nation will suffer from it again.

Tell us something we don't know already...

It's amazing to me that the government has completed two budget cycles and not in one of them mentioned the need for 2 million for a power plant. Anyone remember the almost silly pride with which they spoke of the "billion dollar budget"

200...hundred million!!

My bad, this government only deals in COLOSSAL oversights, how could I mix that up...

Of course had they been allowed to use a pipe for deep water cooling for air conditioning which went out in the sea, this would not be a problem, nor would anyone need as much to drill for oil to power it all!

No deep water cooling for air conditioning, instead drill for oil, and if it doesn't spill, burn it, causing green house gas emissions to achieve power for the same goal, a better approach non?

I really got to stop reading the paper and listening to the news. My stress level has gone way up and my hope for a better future has been shattered. I know MP salaries are low but these fools don't even deserve what they are paid now. Why don't they hold a referendum to see if Bahamian's think MP's should get frikkin' paid!

why is every project valued at $200m is this the lucky number

Well they are usually in the 100+ region...but you just round it off to an even 200 so you can factor in overrides and kickbacks.

Yes! I think they like two's. Notice that the smaller projects are always twenty million. I wonder how much they've spent so far on "carnival", no ones giving an accounting and this is something with the propensity to blow waaayyyy over budget, there's all sorts if nice bells and whistles that could be randomly added to the plan (if there is an end to end plan)

I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH WAS SPENT SO FAR, ON WHAT, TO WHOM AND WHAT QUANTITIES AND HOW MUCH YOU INTEND TO SPEND MONTH BY MONTH ON WHAT UP UNTIL MAY 2015! Tribune Please follow up on this, it's important.IF NO ONE CHECKS WE WILL BE AT April 2015 with Obie Wilchombe giving us the same tired refrain, *we don't know how much it costs, the invoices aren't in*. That's the silliest answer I've ever heard on any project but the
Tribune accepts it time and time again

BREAKING NEWS.....BEC does not expect any more load shedding for the rest of the year.

They also report not expecting any "LESS" load shedding for the rest of the year.

Leslie, is all of the above, potcake, unreasonable, arrogant and the rest, but he does do his job well. The residents of the Bahamas need to do due diligence and 'we will be straight" Make sure he has paid his outstanding balance to BEC and he gets shut off just like anyone else for an overdue account. Expose him when he acts unbecoming for his buddies and we are on the way to making them all accountable. So far a good job was done with making him and others who did not pay their property taxes and the like accountable!!. They all need to be tackled one by one. Lets make our voices/concerns be known and then we will be heard and taken seriously. We can affect change.

Brilliant! A nine-year-old could have figured that one out ages ago!

These guys must have shit for brains. You guys just realize bahamar will affect bec. and please stop saying "the country",when you are referring to Nassau. Where there is no vision the people will perish,which explains why we are where we are.

There are lots of good things you can do with your money, but one thing is certain. Money is limited, so you better make sure the things you decide to do are the most important and have the greatest impact dollar for dollar. The fact that they've built the new National security building, invested in BAMSI and Carnival while the post office is crumbling to pieces and the whole country is on the verge of a month long blackout...I don't know what to say about what goes on in their heads...it's mind boggling....

A new power plant is the most important thing needed in this country right now. We can not advance without it. If these blackouts and load shedding foolishness continues I can see rioting in the streets in our future. People who are 'in charge' and making decisions are totally useless and clueless. Didn't they realize these massive hotels would be an added strain on the BEC, and the Bahamian people? Fourth World here we come.

**If we need more power ..... can't we go green .... wind mills & solar ... stop building a future world of dirty air .... give your kids and their kids a chance to live in a cleaner world **.

The thing is we don,t have to put up one red cent to build a power plant .The companies that are bidding are going to build ,own ,and operate .The caveat is they guarantee a reasonable rate ,i think it is 28cents a kilowatt when we are now paying close to 50 cents..For them to do it they would not want other forms of power generatation..They would use a lot of natural gas that is cheaper and cleaner . Perhaps the reason they can,t get it done is the same reason they could not complete the airport deal ,they had given B radley Roberts a 25 yr contract to supply the food ,just like Focol w/ that dirty bunker fuel they burn now ,,

Concerned citizen, one can only assume that your suggestion is so reasonable, it is over the head of current government, or more likely it would disturb to many corrupt relationships.

How can any rational person suggest that more public capital should be thrown down the sink hole of BEC????
1. We have power rates that are obscene.
2. We use positively the dirtiest form of energy production known in the civilized world.
3. And, BEC loses millions every year.

Get politics out of the power business. That is our only hope! We should start with letting bidding contracts for this new generation facility to private concerns at an agreed supply cost to BEC,against the winning contractor's right to "take over" - not purchase just take over - BEC at anytime in the next ten years when they will contract to deliver power, at necessary levels, at a fixed rate, which should be pegged off rates in the U.S. The rate might have to be 115% or 120% of U.S. rates but not 300% which is what we pay now for totally unreliable service! Who but a corrupt politician can argue?

BEC and GBPC have and will continue to suck the Bahamas dry with ridiculously high rates that people simply cannot afford anymore. Their services flat out stink and to continue to use Bahamians money to keep them running, only to rob the public again with their absurd rates is CRIMINAL.

The solution is to bring in another company to build a new efficient power plant to provide power, in fact another two companies at minimum should be brought in to build new plants and provide power. They will compete against each other and offer better service and rates for everyone.

Bahamians have had enough of these type of monopolies that have ruined the country.

We need this.<img src="http://s04.flagcounter.com/mini/kfoW/bg…" style="display:none">

They are down to tree bidders that will build ,own ,and operate perhaps after doing VaAT and making so much noise about BTC they don,t have the political b@lls to do it ,.or they think w/ that and VAT they will lose the next election

Sorry three

This information is not accurate. ..compare Bahamar to Atlantis ..similar size developments..so how is it that Bahamar requires more than 4 times the electrical demand of Atlantis? Using industry standards..estimated power plant cost including transmission equate roughly $1,000,000 per megawatt. Is this story saying BEC needs an extra 150-200MW or is someone at BEC making up numbers?..we need some investigative reporting people.

One more thing..the demand load for New Providence is about 280-300MW..How can one development demand 2/3rd of the islands load? Bahamians..please ask critical questions of those people bringing you news.