The Tribune

By Khrisna Virgil

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FOUR months after Hurricane Dorian destroyed Abaco, Bahamas Power and Light said it has made major inroads in restoring electricity to the island.

The island was left in dire condition following the monster storm’s passage as it obliterated infrastructure, leaving no standing poles along the 16-mile stretch of road from Marsh Harbour to Treasure Cay.

The extent of the damage in Abaco would require a massive level of effort, the company said back in September.

But as of this month, restoration in Marsh Harbour was 100 percent completed in several areas, BPL said in a press statement yesterday.

These areas included Central Abaco Primary School, the government treasury building, Spring City and Water and Sewerage’s well field.

Power for the 220 customers of Green Turtle Cay has also been fully restored along with Sunrise Bay, the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s residence in Central Pines and the police residence at Regattas.

BPL said the Blackwood settlement, now 90 percent complete, will be restored by January 26.

Other areas on the island are less than 50 percent restored.

The power provider said the airport road is at 35 percent and January 27 has been set for 100 percent power service while both the Central Pines Subdivision and Elbow Cay are at 30 percent completion.

As for remaining areas, BPL has set longer deadlines.

“In Treasure Cay, our team started work Thursday, January 9, 2020, and power restoration from entrance of Treasure Cay to completion is expected to take 11 weeks,” the company said yesterday.

“In Murphy and Dundas Town, work began December 7, 2019, with a target completion time of eight weeks from start date. 

“On Guana Cay, assessment complete. The start date was pushed back due to holiday break, but once work starts, it is expected to take three weeks to complete.”

Prior to this, BPL first had power back on from Sandy Point to Wilson City by September 27 and Coopers Town to Crown Haven by November 4, 2019.

The hospital, government offices, airport and water plant in Marsh Harbour were restored on November 21.

Last October, Works Minister Desmond Bannister said the company spent just over $1.6m on equipment and materials for restorative work in Abaco and its cays following Hurricane Dorian.

He said there was substantive damage to BPL’s infrastructure in the wake of Dorian, including the loss of 3,000 utility poles.

However despite the damage there, Mr Bannister was optimistic that Abaco was on its way back.