Power outage after lightning storm

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Several areas of New Providence experienced an electrical outage yesterday due to lightning storms.

Bahamas Power and Light said service to multiple areas of New Providence was impacted by a lightning storm yesterday afternoon.

Residents in East Street South, Prince Charles West, High Point Estates, Stapledon Gardens, Victoria Gardens, East Street North, Sunset Park Warren Street and Oaks Field were affected by the outage due to inclement weather.

As of last night, service was restored to most of the consumers, however, transformers were required to be replaced in High Point and Victoria Gardens leading to some resident’s electricity taking longer to come back on stream.

The utility said it encountered an “additional issue” in Oaks Field and technicians were still working to restore electricity as of press time.

Last week, BPL said it experienced “major system disturbance” due to a cable fault that caused units at the Clifton Pier Power Station to go offline.

The “disturbance” led to an interruption in service to residents throughout the island.

In a statement, BPL described the blackout as “unpredictable” but noted that quick action from its teams led to full restoration “within a short period of time.” While some areas had power restored quickly, others experienced prolonged outages due to additional work required on the company's transmission lines.

BPL noted that it has not experiences any major outages in New Providence for over a year and apologised to consumers.

“BPL emphasises that it hasn't experienced any major system disturbance experienced in New Providence in more than a year. While unpredictable, all available resources were committed to the safe restoration of services.” said BPL.

Following the blackout Energy Minister, JoBeth Coleby-Davis said efforts are underway to prevent a recurrence and enhance power reliability

Mrs Coleby-Davis said the recent power cuts highlight the urgent need for electricity reforms in the country and emphasized that BPL’s teams have been working diligently to address critical areas needing upgrades, especially with hurricane season underway.

“The state of the country's infrastructure, transmission, and distribution lines is strained, trying to meet the high demand for power from homes and businesses,” said Mrs Coleby-Davis.  

“There is great urgency to focus our efforts on addressing these challenges and to communicate with the public about the work we are doing.”

New Providence’s electricity grid is being transferred to the control of Bahamas Grid Company, an entity that will be 60 percent majority-owned by private investors. Island Grid, the entity that will manage Bahamas Grid Company, is headed by Eric Pike, whose Pike Electrical will be supplying the manpower, equipment and resources to overhaul the grid. Pike trucks and staff are already arriving in The Bahamas.

Bahamas Grid Company is presently raising $100m via the private placement of a bond issue, with the proceeds set to finance some $120m in “foundational” upgrades to the New Providence grid by the 2025 third quarter. The bond offering document details the implications for BPL staff, with expatriate workers set to take the lead on the upgrades until Bahamians can be up-skilled.

Comments

bahamianson says...

Power outage after a sunny day. BEC is a terrible service, and they want.a.raise. for terrible and i humane treatment.

Posted 22 August 2024, 6:18 p.m. Suggest removal

ExposedU2C says...

> New Providence’s electricity grid is being transferred to the control of Bahamas Grid Company, an entity that will be 60 percent majority-owned by private investors.

This was an illegal transfer of majority ownership and control of public sector assets to a cabal of thieves led by Snake and Anthony Ferguson. This outrageous and criminal heist, if not undone, will result in the loss by the Bahamian people of many, many millions of dollars of value inherent in our nation's main utility enterprise that was intended to be organized as, and remain, a state-owned monopoly for national security and other vital reasons.

The corrupt Davis led PLP government violated numerous laws and regulations when it put in place new legislation that purports to facilitate and make the illegal transfer somehow 'legal'.

Posted 22 August 2024, 7:54 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

I still do not understand how all the assets of BEC understated at 100m (BTC sold for 300m more than 10years ago) could be handed over to a company without a dime to their name, they use excessively inflated pricing to generate revenue from the Bahamian public then tell us we have to buy the company back

I'm still wondering if FOCOL was in serious financial trouble. No way of knowing but their infrastructure was failing on multiple occasions, multiple locations with their seeming inability to respond to the environmental disaster in a timely fashion sometimes not at all, the Abaco **disaster** was left for months until every drop had leaked from the storage tank. Then their fine for one of these breeches was a secret, who knows if they paid more than a dollar. Nothing on the fines for the breech in Abaco or any information from Vaugn Miller. A d after all this the govt claims they trusted theyd be best for the energy grid

What a climate disaster Brave Davis' administration has turned out to be

Posted 23 August 2024, 5:53 a.m. Suggest removal

trueBahamian says...

Thus whole BPL story smells of a few greedy folks angling for a huge cash win. The people are not being look3d out for by the government. The WHOLE government is only looking out for themselves and the people around them. BPL is just one of many things the government is handing over to their cronies for profit.

Posted 23 August 2024, 12:16 a.m. Suggest removal

whatsup says...

BPL should be ashamed of their service. Why do they require so much for a deposit? BPL is holding $1,250.00 deposit from me, a 75 year old cancer patient who has always paid my bill on time and in full. My monthly bill has NEVER been over $300.00 yet they have my money. It is about time they refund our deposits if our bills are always paid on time. NOT TO MENTION THE BAD SERVICE WE HAVE TO ENDURE YEAR AFTER YEAR. TIME FOR THEM TO REFUND OUR DEPOSITS OR AT LEAST A PORTION. Politicians don't care about us voters, only their greedy selves.

Posted 23 August 2024, 8:41 a.m. Suggest removal

Sickened says...

Everywhere you look... CORRUPTION!

Posted 23 August 2024, 1:49 p.m. Suggest removal

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