By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Electricity Corporation customers can expect to see an increase of “about $25 to $30” in their October bill, BEC Executive Chairman Leslie Miller said yesterday.
Mr Miller said running the Blue Hills Power Plant at full capacity to meet the demand after two engines shut down at the Clifton Pier plant has caused a slight increase in the fuel surcharge.
However, Mr Miller told The Tribune load shedding in the capital has ended, meaning that the increase will only be for one month.
“All the engines are up except one at the moment so we have sufficient capacity. The men we brought in from Fort Lauderdale are still working on the final engine so we are not load shedding anymore. We are meeting demand,” Mr Miller said.
“We use more fuel at Blue Hills than we do at Clifton so there will be a little spike, like two cents for a kilowatt, so for the average customer it would be about $25 to $30 a month but they won’t see it until the October bill. It will only be for that bill because we are back to normal now.”
“How long it will be this way, I cannot say because these things have become very frequent. We will not be able to guarantee anything until someone comes in and brings new equipment.”
Mr Miller also responded to Minister of State for the Environment Phenton Neymour, who on Sunday blamed Mr Miller and the Progressive Liberal Party for the island’s frequent outages.
Mr Neymour told The Tribune that if Mr Miller and the PLP did not “stop, review and cancel” the generators that the FNM rented during the summer months, the public would not be “overburdened” with high electricity costs.
“That man does not know what he talking about again,” Mr Miller said in response.
“Those rented machines were costing the government $1 million a month. He never had a smart thing to say about BEC in his life. He has never had a meeting with anyone at BEC in five years, he is clueless. When he was there he did nothing, now he wants to do something? He is just trying to run (for office) again and he is using BEC. He needs to stay out of what he does not know.”
BEC has been plagued with power outages for several months and Mr Miller said this is the “worst he has ever seen it.”
Earlier this month he said that without a new power plant, which will cost about $200 million, the country will continue to be plagued by outages that will worsen when Baha Mar, the mega resort at Cable Beach, is added to the grid next year.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 3 months ago
And this government of amateurs actually reappointed this man as chairman.....
Enjoy the power outages Nassau and the raise in your bill. Cause they are not going to stop....
PLP. Amateurs. Can't do squat....
Bunni 10 years, 3 months ago
WTF MR MILLER!!....you must be think the Bahamian people has a private ATM that just dispense money out whenever you and this damn Government say we will increase your BEC BILL, VAT, NATIONAL HEALTH PLAN EH?. You'll een see crime yet in the country with all the financial burden you'll want put on the back of the poor and middle class. I'm paying extra money for continue outages ..... I pay more for less service. We have to live to ya know. #you'll full of shit.
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 3 months ago
Let's see how Nassau takes this. I bet money no one is gonna march or do anything about this. Everyone should take their bill with this new $30.00 charge and march on the PM's office demanding Miller be fired and that he pay all of his BEC bills in full immediately...
Aquarius 10 years, 3 months ago
I agree with you 100%! We put them there and we can take them out! Numbers make a difference. The ENTIRE government needs to go!
GrassRoot 10 years, 3 months ago
you can apply for a credit line with BEC and the government - if you are important enough for them. The reality is, that this is the price to pay for lack of maintenance. Whoever has been passing by the Clifton Pier plant during the past 6 years, must have thought, that this thing is blowing up any minute. The real wonder here is that it hasn't so far.
MaLambee 10 years, 3 months ago
Some kind of action is definitely in order. Count me in!!! The dynamics are unreasonable!!! paying more for less. And then we look at the powers to be not paying their fair share and delving out the same favors for their friends. If we feel strongly about it, then a peaceful and I say peaceful protest is in order. Action speaks louder than words people.
PKMShack 10 years, 3 months ago
Let's protest bay street for new leadership. Forget any party. We the people shall march on Parliament. I saw 29 Sept give anyone time to take the time off
Sickened 10 years, 3 months ago
Let's do it. Monday Sept 29. What time is best? Should be when the PM usually sneaks out the back door so we can get in his face.
Anyone else in????
Emac 10 years, 3 months ago
Oh I am always in. But it cannot succeed without the masses involvement
joey 10 years, 3 months ago
An increase in fuel surcharged because of fuel burned rather than what is payed for it is major policy shift from the way BEC charges.Never before has Bec calculated its rate this way.The public has always been told that because of thd price of oil on the internationl market wich is now under $100 is how we are charged.For the first time we are paying higer prices for less power. Someone head needs to get chopped of for this mess.
TalRussell 10 years, 3 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2014…
zumb44 10 years, 3 months ago
Isn't that sweet??
asiseeit 10 years, 3 months ago
unlike government when I am broke I can not go to my boss and say, "well sir I have been stupid and spent all my money on all sorts of crap that has garnered No return so due to MY failure I will add on a %7.5 percent charge to YOU on my next pay stub". See that is not how the REAL world works, only stink ass politicians can say "we have failed to take care with YOUR money so now we will FORCE YOU TO GIVE US MORE TO SQUANDER". #bahamasgovernment=fail
Bunni 10 years, 3 months ago
You are right on the money man .......
The_Messenger 10 years, 3 months ago
Bahamians will once again have to pay more out of their pockets because of incompetence that is only getting worse and come January 1st these thieves also want people to pay VAT on top of their power bills.
Absolutely criminal.
voltairehumor 10 years, 3 months ago
how the heck did these guys get elected? Who misses Papa?
The_Oracle 10 years, 3 months ago
Papa is no answer Voltaire,he is in part responsible for this mess and yes Mr. Miller, the state of our country is the worst we have ever seen. It is the price we pay for electing Village idiots with a bent for pilfering. It is the price we pay for stifling independent thought, it is the price we pay for political malfeasance. What we need is enablers that say yes to Bahamians who have ideas, and want to pursue their dreams with their own money, be it installing Alternate energy equipment for their homes and or businesses, or who can enlarge a competitive atmosphere in any sector of the economy. We need yes men through the rank and file of the Civil service, retrained to understand their obligation to serve the people, and not be obstacles at every turn, scared only for their own jobs. We need a return to the rule of law and accountability in both public and private sectors. Unfortunately we are all busy protecting whatever we have, no matter how large or small, no matter lawfully gained or stolen. Perhaps once we have lost it all we shall wake up...........
GrassRoot 10 years, 3 months ago
My dear Bahamianites,
I sincerely and thoroughly thank you for your contribution of $30 towards my wealth.
I promise, I will make good use of it.
Your sincerely,
Mr. Leading Snake Businessman. (hey Leslie, beam me over your bank account number for your share and keep shedding).
Tommy77 10 years, 3 months ago
It never ends.
http://s04.flagcounter.com/mini/kfoW/bg…" style="display:none">
abacogrouper 10 years, 3 months ago
Say waaa....?
ChaosObserver 10 years, 3 months ago
Bahamas= "A second world nation trying really really hard at being a third".
Publius 10 years, 3 months ago
And BEC customers nationwide for the most part still remain essentially silent
katy 10 years, 3 months ago
No other Caribbean island is experiencing this nonsense, but yet Bahamians quick to say it "better in the Bahamas". If Bahamians would only travel to other Caribbean islands they would realise that they have power for the ENTIRE summer. No power outages and no flickin load shedding.
Politicians always pushing the talk about "it better in the Bahamas" because they want Bahamians to stay here and never go anywhere else. Why? Because if Bahamians saw that other Caribbean islands are actually living more comfortably, then Bahamians will protest and even riot for better treatment and rights.
Almost ALL Caribbean islands are using solar energy as their main source of energy... THE SUN is FREEEEEEEEE!!!!
Keep the masses ignorant and they stay peaceful and foolish....
The ONLY solution is to start implementing solar in your homes. ALLLLL the politicians are sitting comfortably in their solar energy powered homes while their foolish followers crying that electricity too high.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2014…
joey 10 years, 3 months ago
Fuel surcharged at BEC use to be charged based on the international market value like gas stations charge you when you full your tank with gas at the station. So when oil was$147 a barrel at its highest we were told fuel surcharge has to go up at BEC, we understood that and accepted that. Now there is a sudden policy shift in the way they charge the customer fuel surcharge. BEC according to the chairman is now charging you fuel surcharged based on how much they burn which could vary from time to time based on how their generators are maintained. Imagine going to the gas station fueling up and because their pump wasn't working or calibrated properly they give you more gas than they suppose to. Do you think they should charge for that?well that's what is happening at BEC and someone in authority head should roll for this hack up.
ihadit 10 years, 3 months ago
From A.D. 2003 BEC (Burn Extra Candles) was in financial problems, they charge us whatever they wish, and the Bahamian people just go run and pay it... this is why they will keep doing it. We NEED to STOP paying BEC, purchase a cheap portable gasoline generator ($300.00) like I have done and used for years, or solar panels if you can afford it (it is the principal of the matter), and get out of the high fuel surcharge rat race before BEC send you to the poor house with its mortgage and apartment rent like fees. The monies you had to put food on the table and/or pay school fees, you now have to pay to BEC.
This is the results of what happens when you put a person (Leslie ‘Clueless’ Miller) a place to run BEC who is not qualified to do so. Miller owes BEC more than most Bahamians but tells you to pay your BEC Bill, then tells you that you have to pay $25.00 to $30.00 extra, but he hasn’t paid the hundreds of thousands he owes to BEC. This very government owes BEC $30M and it is not paying its BEC bills, but yet it tells you to pay you BEC bills. This is the highest form of hypocrisy I have ever seen. This is what happens when you keep voting in PLP, FNM and lawyers to run a country, the only thing they will do is make laws to oppress you on a daily basis. Most lawyers (Bran is the exception) are NOT qualified to properly run a country, instead persons should be placed in a field where they are qualified.
Come on Bahamas, WE MUST STOP BEING IGNORANT, for we shall perish for lack of knowledge. Beyond the bills being deathrageously high, we all know or ought to know have known that, the bills we get from BEC are not legitimate. Learn to read, measure and check your electricity consumption for yourself and you will see what I saying. I speak from experience. IF you want BEC or this government to comply, just STOP paying them monies and watch them fold to the demands of the people. But we are weak and spineless as Bahamians. We ALL want to accomplish certain things, but no one wants to go outside their comfort zone to achieve it. This is why we will not accomplish anything worth fighting for. It is like everybody want to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. Bahamians will NOT go out and seriously and constantly demonstrate and mobilize themselves in unison because we do not wish to sacrifice anything at all. The politicians know this and that is why they keep doing shit… because they know that we will just talk for now, and later go silent. As Bahamians we are TOO DAMN WEAK, we fight for NOTHING!, not even if our lives depend on it.
abacogrouper 10 years, 3 months ago
Much to think about here....
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