The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net 

A 12-hour power outage in Stapledon Gardens on Saturday left residents distressed, including 60-year-old Malcolm Collie, who said his heart condition worsened due to the intense heat in his home.

BPL’s communications manager, Arnette Ingraham, said the outage was due to a fault on the overhead line near Wellington Street and Christie Avenue. She said BPL received calls around 6am from residents, and a crew was dispatched to the site by 8am.

BPL trucks were seen driving through Stapledon Gardens, and workers were observed repairing power lines in the area.

BPL’s Facebook page noted outages in Stapledon Gardens and the Sea Breeze area on Saturday. Later, the company reported an outage on Cowpen Road due to a damaged pole caused by a third-party incident.

Mr Collie said he was wakened around 4.30am on Saturday, drenched in sweat, and quickly realised the electricity was out in much of the area near Wellington Lane and Christie Avenue. He said he has a heart condition and emphasised that staying cool is important because the heat aggravates his health issues.

After waiting for hours, he sought relief outside on his patio, but the heat from the sun was unbearable. When The Tribune spoke with him more than 10 hours into the outage, he expressed frustration with Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) for not providing clear information about the power loss. He said he had been calling BPL’s customer service since 6am but only reached a voice mail system.

Jhadyn Brown, a 21-year-old computer science major at the University of The Bahamas, said the outage severely disrupted her day. She was unable to complete her homework and assignments.

She also had a funeral to attend on the morning of the outage. She and her family got dressed in the dark and couldn’t iron their clothes, make breakfast, or prepare properly. Upon returning from the funeral, they were frustrated to find the power still out.

She suggested that BPL partner with ALIV and BTC to send text alerts to residents during outages or other issues, especially for those without internet access.

Another resident, an educator who wished to remain anonymous, said the outage prevented her from finishing her lesson plans for the upcoming week. The 40-year-old said while she understands short outages during bad weather, leaving residents without power for an entire day is “inhumane.”

“You have no light. Nobody’s saying anything. I think this is poor, and when you pay your bills on time, you don’t get any discounts. This is just bad customer service, and there are no repercussions,” she said.

She added that she had planned to have her car repaired at home, but due to being unable to charge her phone, she couldn’t contact the mobile mechanic, leaving her stuck at home.