By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

IN response to concerns of frequent power outages in recent weeks, Public Works Minister Alfred Sears said the issue is not a “novel” one for The Bahamas.

With those service disruptions, consumers have raised the question as to how BPL will handle higher consumption with the hot summer months approaching.

However, the minister told reporters that he should be fully briefed within the next week in terms of what the corporation will have in place for the peak season.

The minister was asked about the issue before yesterday’s House of Assembly sitting.

“I’ve asked BPL to provide me, which they’re preparing now, the contingency that they’re finalising for (the) summer. So, I should be fully briefed within the next week in terms of what the corporation is doing and will have in place for the peak season of the summer,” Mr Sears said when asked yesterday what BPL’s technocrats had to say about reliable power headed into the summer.

He also said: “Well the power outages to my knowledge is not novel in The Bahamas. The government has made a commitment to address the power generation by increasing and incorporating actually the amount of renewable and the power sources in the generation of power to achieve 30 percent by 2030. That will not be achieved overnight.

“As you know, we have a lot of ground to cover compared to some of our regional counterparts, which have already integrated solar, wind, and other renewable sources of energy.

“We are also not immune from the global supply chain dislocation, which is occurring due to the war in Ukraine and every country, including oil producing countries, are having challenges with accessing affordable oil, natural gas, and the price is going up. Therefore what the government (has) been doing and what BPL (has) been doing is trying to stay as nimble as possible to minimise the shock on the Bahamian consumers,” he further explained.

He said there was also another challenge in that the distribution system needed to be modernised and that would require significant funding.

Nonetheless, the minister said BPL’s response to the power disruptions was to ensure that the company provides the best coverage possible in the circumstances for peak periods normally in the summer months.

The minister also spoke about the price cost of the oil/gas globally, noting that those are due to factors beyond their control having to do with the war in Ukraine as well as other factors with geo-political nature.

He added the government has kept in place a hedging strategy and taken other measures to mitigate the effects of the external shocks, which are beyond the government’s control.

Mr Sears went on to note that the prime minister has made it clear that the government will do everything possible to mitigate the impact, especially on vulnerable communities.