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Bannister worries over BPL ability to keep the lights on

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WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister.

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Works Desmond Bannister said he has “serious concerns” with Bahamas Power and Light’s ability to “keep the lights on this summer,” telling The Tribune the lack of reliability may prevent the government from fulfilling all the necessary requirements in the Baha Mar heads of agreement.

He added that he is already “looking at new, alternative ways,” including solar, to produce energy.

The heads of agreement requires the government and BPL to “address reliable and consistent supply of electricity on the island of New Providence, which will include the ability to meet the requirements of the project.”

This involves the installation “of all supporting infrastructure necessary to support secure and dependable electricity supplies to the project, without the need for unusual load-shedding or other interruption in electricity supply to the project.”

This must be completed by December 31, 2017 and any failure by the government to resolve the energy problems by December 31, 2017, will be treated as “a force majeure” event.

If that occurs, then Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and its Baha Mar-owning affiliate will be released from performing their heads of agreement obligations for as long as it takes to remediate the problems.

Mr Bannister said while the agreement with Baha Mar is important, his first concern is with the Bahamian people.

“My first concern when it comes to reliability is the Bahamian people. The contract with Baha Mar is important and there is a concern because we want to live up to our end but Bahamians have to feel confident that we are able to keep the power on,” Mr Bannister said.

“The Bahamian people elected us and as a government we have to ensure that things happen and I am going to make sure that it happens. After that is done, I will look at other areas of concern.”

Mr Bannister said the government is “moving quickly” to resolve the constant blackouts.

“I am not at all convinced that BPL can keep the power on this summer. So I am moving quickly to see what we can do,” he said.

“As soon as a new board comes in we will be looking at new ways to produce energy. We are looking at solar, as a matter of fact I met with some solar people this morning (Thursday). The Bahamas cannot afford to have this type of unreliability. Since I came into office, Abaco has had issues with blackouts and the last two days the people in Inagua have been inconvenienced and it is unacceptable. We have to be able to produce and give the Bahamian people the type of service they expect.”

Last month, BPL expressed “confidence” in its readiness to take on the peak summer period with its higher power generation capability.

In a previous statement, BPL said while it expected the needed power generation this summer to peak at 255 megawatts, its current generation availability is over 345mw. This is 90mw higher than the demand expected this summer.

In addition, the electricity provider said transmission cables between Blue Hills Power Station and the Big Pond Sub-Station have been replaced and upgraded to improve the capacity and reliability of the transmission system.

Pointing to the period from June to September last year, in which BPL experienced challenges due to low generation availability and reliability, the company said it wanted to ensure Bahamians would not suffer from the same issues this summer.

Comments

birdiestrachan 7 years, 4 months ago

Abaco has a new power plant. No excuses Mr. Banister just fix the problem. and stop telling lies about money missing here there and every.

DDK 7 years, 4 months ago

Abaco got a new power plant but were the distribution cables upgraded at the same time? Somehow I doubt it.

Not wanting to admit that much money was misappropriated and/or stolen from government corporations and agencies does not mean it did not happen and happen big time. Successive Bahamian Governments have spent money like it is WATER and the last one (Pillage Loot Plunder) took first prize. MONEY DOES NOT GROW ON TREES. Water is becoming a scarce global commodity. Have you noticed what happens to our precious assets when they are not looked after responsibly?

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago

A word of advice to Mr. Bannister: Forget the smooth talking greedy salesmen and useless intermediaries who want you to buy into the idea that a solar solution is available. Solar is not a feasible solution to any meaningful part of our electricity needs because the panels take up way too much space and New Providence is a small island with very limited land area. Don't let yourself get conned Mr. Bannister.

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago

We're not talking about hot water baths or showers here.

ohdrap4 7 years, 4 months ago

and roofs have been known to collapse under too heavy panels.

i can already see that they have to spend 5 million dollars to reinforce the roof and the foundations.

and then there is the cost of batteries....

sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago

You hit it right on the head ......... Its the petro-cartel that had BEC/BPL in shackles

ThisIsOurs 7 years, 4 months ago

I'm really baffled why BPL resolution by year end was part of any agreement. I understand why Bahamas would demand it to open, I dont understand why the government would commit to it, it's practically impossible

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago

A lot of money changed hands from corrupt Red China officials, seeking to establish a greater foothold on the door step to the U.S., to very greedy corrupt Bahamian government officials at the highest levels. This is why Christie, Maynard-Gibson, Baltron Bethel and so on committed to the impossible. Not a single agreement involving any of the Red China related enterprises associated with the Baha Mar should be honoured by the new FNM government for the sake of the Bahamian people. Corrupt parties that bribe other corrupt parties (politicians) to defeat the sovereignty of a people and cause them grave harm are not capable of entering into legally valid agreements with anyone in the Bahamas, period!

sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago

Simple reason ....... The Chinese know that BPL cannot supply enough power to NP, Atlantis and Bahamar ......... So the Chinese want the Bahamian Government to let them take over BPL and own that sector as well ..... The Caribbean countries are quickly becoming Chinese colonies

Porcupine 7 years, 4 months ago

Perhaps the solution is manifold. Perhaps we should ask BahaMar to be responsible for their own electricity generation. Their electricity needs should be easily quantifiable. Is this unreasonable in light of what the Bahamian people have given them in terms of our national treasure? They could have the needed generators here in a matter of days. And, since it is said that there are over a million Chinese people employed manufacturing solar panels, what a great way to highlight the way of the future, as well as, boost their own manufacturing sector. This would allow BPL to concentrate on the people of The Bahamas. Obviously, they have their hands full. However, remember a few years ago when a Mr. Leslie Miller went on his generator vacation to Florida, only to return a few days later to say "BEC IS BROKE" I believe were the headlines in The Tribune. Was it a surprise to Mr. Miller that BEC was broke? Why did he go in the first place? What has really changed, honestly, other than the name, BPL? Again, why not full disclosure about where the problems lie and what is the way forward. Instead, year after year, people are sleeping outside in the summer because we can't figure it out, even with very, very high prices for electricity. We must do better. I fear that this is the new normal in The Bahamas. All of our money is going out as interest payments and late fees on our unsustainable national debt. VAT and its' equally onerous compliance costs are literally killing the working class and poor. This money is being sucked out of the real economy and into the void of "government spending". No accountability, kickbacks for every contract, wasteful spending designed to merely get votes. Solar is a very real necessity for the future. Unquestionably. However, there are a myriad of other failures that need addressing before the first solar panel is mounted in place. Perhaps break up BPL and allow the Family Islands to concentrate on solar first. It would make a great capital project for those with the vision and desire to make the Family Islands sustainable, reliable and economically viable locations for the future. Yes, something must be done. However, it seems that we have a greater portfolio of things that don't work, than things that do. Firstly, we should correct the things that seem to contribute the most to our abundant failures.

DDK 7 years, 4 months ago

Quite right on all counts. You forgot the numbers houses. Mum seems to be the word on those. One has a hard time understanding why the Parliamentarians just don't get it (the points you so neatly listed). Or perhaps they do.......... Wonder if any of them read The Tribune and all of the eloquent and not so eloquent commentary???

alfalfa 7 years, 4 months ago

Bahamar (and Atlantis) both requested permission to supply their own electricity, but were forced to attach themselves to BEC/BPL unreliable grid. The generators supplying New Providence were purchased years ago, are nightmares to maintain, and expensive to run. I agree with IkalikI that the problem has not been addressed by successive PLP and FNM governments dating back to the seventies. I hope this time the FNM can get it's act together and really address the issue. Meantime, they better rent some additional generating plants. This summer is going to be a scorcher and power cuts have become almost a daily occurrence. People are tired of the same lame excuses by the power company and the government.

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