The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light on Thursday commissioned a new 6,000-kilowatt generation plant in Harbour Island, Eleuthera, with officials promising the initiative to be the first in a “long line” of operations to improve the lives of residents in North Eleuthera.

Power disruption issues and power surges have plagued residents in the area for some time, with persons in Harbour Island claiming the lack of dependable energy has stunted the island’s tourism product and damaged appliances in homes and businesses.

Many residents have voiced frustration over the matter, stressing that without immediate improvement, the island could lose its lustre and charm as a second home destination for tourists.

Those fears appear to be on the way to being addressed with the commissioning of BPL’s newest energy plant, something company officials cheered as a “promise delivered.”

The plant is a two power-block station equipped with 10 Volvo engines with output levels of 6,000 kilowatts of energy. It is expected to “over supply” the island. Officials did not reveal the price tag of the new plant.

According to BPL CEO Pamela Hill, the company is looking to write a “greater reliability story” for the whole country, with Harbour Island being just the start.

She told those in attendance at yesterday’s ceremony that the company has not been satisfied with the ability to keep up reliable services throughout the country.

She said “day-to-day reliability in the Bahamas” is “absolutely” the mark that BPL strives for.

Further to that, Ms Hill said affordability of electricity is of “immense importance” to the company. She said to achieve such a feat, BPL would look to build more efficient plants in the Bahamas.

Lastly, the BPL CEO pledged a renewed effort to improve company customer relations, maintaining that BPL has to be more accessible to the clients they serve on a day-to-day basis.

The island is expected to remain on power generated on mainland Eleuthera, with the new plant expected to act as a back up source of power.

The move is expected to guarantee that the tourist hub never goes without electricity “for more than a few minutes.”

On hand for the commissioning ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis applauded the effort by BPL, calling the move a necessary step for an island long plagued with an energy crisis.

Mr Davis, the Minister of Works, told residents that teams from his office were also present on the island on Thursday to advance deals for an expansion project for the island’s dock and a mega contract for the reconstruction and management for the North Eleuthera International Airport.

While Mr Davis stop short of providing and specifics of the two deals, he said the government was dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents in the area, a move he said was predicated on these two initiatives.