By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Water and Sewerage Corporation's (WSC) executive chairman yesterday said its $2.5m Abaco solarisation project epitomised its drive to rebuild using more sustainable systems.

Adrian Gibson, speaking at a webinar featuring Caribbean ministers responsible for water, said: “We want to highlight our solarisation project in Abaco. The Water & Sewerage Corporation and our international partners have committed that all infrastructural systems rebuilt in the Abacos must be stronger and more climate resilient to withstand potential future storms.

"As part of this commitment, Water & Sewerage Corporation partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the international non-governmental organisation, WaterMission, to design and construct a 120 kilowatt (KW) solar field for our Marsh Harbour wellfields, and a 216 KW solar field for our Marsh Harbour pumping station."

He added: “Works on both solar fields are progressing well despite many supply chain and logistical challenges in the Abacos post-Hurricane Dorian and the global impact of COVID-19. It is projected that the wellfields solar field will be commissioned later this year, and the pumping station solar field will be commissioned thereafter.

"When completed these solar fields will substantially reduce Water & Sewerage Corporation's demand for power supply in the Marsh Harbour area, the major population centre, and they will work in conjunction with the Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) grid supply and Water & Sewerage Corporation on-site standby generators to provide uninterrupted power supply for our Marsh Harbour operations.”