Paul Maynard
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
Power blackouts could continue until November, warned Bahamas Electrical Workers Union president Paul Maynard yesterday. He told The Tribune the beleaguered electricity provider simply did not have the capacity to meet summer demands.
He also blasted the service provided by Aggreko for its rental units as unsatisfactory.
Mr Maynard explained BPL was down 60 megawatts with three major generation units offline.
One unit, GD 10, is expected back on tomorrow, and another - GD 7 - sometime next week. However GD 5 will be out for at least two months, he said.
“Realistically if the weather changes in November we’ll be fine, but if we have a hot November then we going (to load shed) to the end of November.”
Frustrated consumers continued to lambast BPL on its Facebook page, taking issue with perceived “false updates” and “poor public relations” yesterdaywhile mega hotel Atlantis says some of its equipment has been damaged by load shedding.
In response to The Tribune’s inquiry, Atlantis said: “We are working with BPL to relieve the lack of capacity. It has not been disruptive to our guests as they have been scheduled in advance for the most part. However, we have had damage to some of our equipment when the outages are not scheduled.”
For his part, Baha Mar VP Robert Sands said the mega resort has established a good line of communication with BPL and works in tandem to ensure minimal disruption to guests.
At a press briefing yesterday, Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip Davis underscored plummeting consumer confidence and mounting business losses.
“With public outcry, criticism and complaints against the Bahamas Power and Light intensifying in the wake of daily load shedding and power outages, the government must say with certainty when the load shedding will end as consumer confidence is at an all time low and business losses continue to mount,” Mr Davis said.
“This latest episode involving BPL is symptomatic of the incompetence of this government in the handling of any number of policy issues including immigration, VAT hike, Oban, the collapse of BTC, the government’s labour and employment policies, its contract administration and the transfer of the post office to the Town Centre Mall.”
Mr Davis added: “They have managed to create one crisis after another or exacerbate routine management issues into crises through glaring incompetence, arrogance, ignorance or indifference.”
Comments
moncurcool 5 years, 3 months ago
Please, if any news from BPL, for heavens sake don't have these ignorant union leaders speak.
yeahyasee 5 years, 3 months ago
“Realistically if the weather changes in November we’ll be fine, but if we have a hot November then we going (to load shed) to the end of November.”
It's August......until end of November? WTF
tell_it_like_it_is 5 years, 3 months ago
So what was the point of bringing those units just before the summer that they had to drive 2 mph with? It's a complete waste of money.
Since acquiring those units, load shedding has actually gotten worse!!!!
yeahyasee 5 years, 3 months ago
It's ridiculous. Power was off for 4 hours last night!
Gotoutintime 5 years, 3 months ago
Why are we not surprised---We have had a problem with our electrical system since Independence. Nothing is going to change until and unless we get help from some Nation which takes pity on our third world infrastructure.
John 5 years, 3 months ago
The way things going, we will have blackouts until the rapture. Only then will there be real light in the world.
geostorm 5 years, 3 months ago
LOL @John, your comment made me laugh really hard.
Dawes 5 years, 3 months ago
Brave needs to stay quiet. He was the Minster of Works for the last Government and knew these problems were coming to a head and did nothing. He's just as useless as this Government and BPL. Time for Government to give up on BPL and let some foreign company take over with their workers. What we have now ain't working.
Bahamianbychoice 5 years, 3 months ago
Heastie retired the Director of Generation a year ago. The most experience generation engineer the Bahamas has....I hear he said he could do it better..smt! Now look where we are!!!! How many fires later..full on energy crisis!!
My question is why isn't the PM/Minister or Chairman moving Heastie/Rollins aside and bringing back the retired persons who know generation to try and at least stabilize. This heat is terrible especially for the elderly, sick and young children!!!
Makes me wonder what really is happening that motivates the powers in charge to remain silent while the country is in crisis...what actually is the bigger picture here.
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