The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Staff Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian-owned company is proposing to construct solar power plants in West and East Grand Bahama at an investment of more than $30m that it claims will not only reduce the cost of power, but provide clean power generation on the island.

Northern Bahamas Utilities Holdings Co Ltd (NBU) made application to the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama and the Investment Authority earlier this year to build two solar plants to provide power to areas outside of Freeport.

This proposal comes on the heels of the expiration of the 1993 West End and East End agreements between the government and Grand Bahama Power Company. The agreements allowed the GBPC to provide and sell electricity outside of Freeport.

The West End agreement has already expired. The other will expire this year.

Bahamian engineer Mr Carlton Bosfield, president and CEO of NBU, shared their proposed plans with reporters at a press conference held by the Coalition of Concerned Citizens (CCC) on Thursday.

The company, he said, is proposing to build and operate a solar plant in West Grand Bahama first, and a second plant in East Grand Bahama as part of phase two of the plans.

The retired GBPC executive said that the solar plant would cause a 30 to 40 percent reduction in the cost of power to residents in Grand Bahama.

“It is anticipated that the power to the residents of West and East Grand Bahama will be sold at 20 cents/Kwh,” said Mr Bosfield.

“We anticipate project for the west will be $30m capital cost and working capital,” he said, explaining that the investment total includes all capital works and equipment, as well as the purchase price of GB Power assets – poles, power lines and meters in West Grand Bahama - at fair market value.

The West GB plant is expected to take 18-24 months to build once all relevant approvals by the government are granted. It would create 50 permanent and part-time jobs during the construction phase and 38 full time jobs during operation.

According to Mr Bosfield, the company has been informed by government that their proposal is being put on the agenda for a review by an investment committee, which makes recommendation to the prime minister.

The project will use 24,000 solar panels, backed up with 10 megawatts of propane generators for nighttime and during overcast conditions. The plant will be able generate some six million watts or six megawatts of power.

“We will be building a modern solar and highly technological power plant in the west, which can generate power far cheaper than and provide those savings to the residents, and sell in bulk back to Freeport,” said Mr Bosfield.

“We will do it using modern technology and using a much cleaner form of generation, as you know solar panels has zero emissions, and propane do not affect your greenhouse gases.”

Dr Bosfield noted that they will utilise smart gird technology which will significantly increase the reliability of power.

Compared to an estimated reliability rate of 70 percent to 84 percent, he said reliability would increase more than 96 percent for residents in West and East Grand Bahama.

“For the west and east proposal, we will buy those assets from GB Power and then where GB Power is connected to the same system will transfer power into Freeport, and sell it to them at a bulk rate,” he explained.

“We expect the price to be somewhere in the vicinity of 10-15 cents per kilowatt hour, which is significantly below what they charge their customers now,” he said.

“We had initial meetings with GBPC, and they have not indicated that they will not be prepared to enter into negotiation with us,” said Mr Bosfield.

Pastor Eddie Victor, CCC president, fully supports the proposal by NBU. The organisation has conducted several town meetings in West and East Grand Bahama. The organisation has been at the forefront agitating for lower power costs, holding demonstrations, protests, and petitions against GBPC’s rates.

“The CCC fully endorses NBU’s proposal because it is consistent with our mission to advocate for the lowering of the cost of electricity on Grand Bahama Island,” Mr Victor said.

Mr Victor believes NBU is fully capable of building and operating a power plant. Additionally, he said it is a 100 percent Bahamian-owned company, with over 30 years of experience in power generation and transmission and distribution.

He noted that EMERA, owners of GBPC, is 100 percent foreign-owned with only ten years of experience with power generation on Grand Bahama.