The Tribune

By KYLE WALKINE

Tribune Staff Reporter

kwalkine@tribunemedia.net

TWO engine failures at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s Clifton Pier Plant are to blame for the recent power outages across New Providence, according to BEC Executive Chairman Leslie Miller.

Mr Miller said yesterday that their engineers were called to the plant to fix the problem after receiving calls that there were several outages in the capital, particularly in the southern and western parts of New Providence.

“These are intermittent problems that we have to deal with from time to time, but we have our guys down there dealing with that right now.” Mr Miller expected power to be fully restored by yesterday afternoon.

According to the chairman there is a problem within the Carmichael Road community that may be to blame for the continuous power outages that have been occurring in the area.

“We have some problems down in the Carmichael area that we’ve been trying to deal with for some time now,” he said.

“First, we have to determine exactly what those problems are. Then once we do that then we can rectify them. But there are definitely some issues in that area and that is why people that live around there may have been seeing their power cut off for a short period. But we are working to find out what those problems are and fix them.”

Mr Miller said whatever is happening in the Carmichael Road area appeared to have started on Soldier Road and then affected Baillou Hill Road.

“We have some fellas saying it’s the Baillou Hill Road Power Plant where some workers are making adjustments to the voltage area,” he said.

“But we will have to find out for sure the problem and fix it.”

Last Wednesday thousands of BEC customers were left without power for several hours after the company’s transmission and distribution systems were damaged during a lightning storm.

According to the corporation, power was fully restored a few hours later.

It was the second power outage to affect New Providence for that week.