The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY 100 per cent of customers on Long Island affected by Hurricane Joaquin have had their power restored by the Bahamas Elecricity Corporation (BEC).

BEC said yesterday that more than 99 per cent of its customers on the island now have electricity, with only “about 35 customers” left to have their supplies restored.

In a statement, the corporation added that all of the island’s “high voltage line work” is complete, with only “minor low voltage line work” left to be done.

Meanwhile in Crooked Island, the corporation said that pole planting has been “substantively completed” with the exception of “those areas that remain inaccessible due to road damage”. Nonetheless, the statement said that power has been restored to “a number of customers”, the commissioner’s office and BTC’s cell tower on the island.

The corporation said total restoration of power to customers on both islands is expected by the end of next week. The statement added that its restoration efforts in all of the islands have been completed since the end of October, the exceptions being Crooked Island and south Long Island due to both islands having sustained “large scale damage”.

“Again, the corporation reiterates that its progress would not have been possible without the hardworking teams on the affected islands, as well as BEC crews from New Providence and other Family Islands who were flown in to assist,” the corporation said.

It noted that it received “significant manpower support” from the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), as well as the Grand Bahama Power Company, British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation, US Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority and the Jamaica Public Service Company.

Hurricane Joaquin ripped through the central and southern Bahamas on October 1 and 2. The slow moving storm left widespread damage on Crooked Island, Long Island, Long Cay, San Salvador, Rum Cay, and Acklins, with an estimated 836 homes destroyed in its wake.