The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light (BPL) said it is developing a long-term generation plan for Little Grand Cay and plans to implement it in the coming days as the island continues to grapple with extended power outages.

In a statement yesterday, BPL apologised for the prolonged interruption of electricity supply, acknowledging the importance of reliable power.

It added that a replacement generation unit was expected to arrive on the island yesterday and would be installed and commissioned by BPL’s technical teams.

The update follows repeated delays in repairing a replacement rental generator after an operational fault with the initial unit triggered a widespread outage earlier this month.

Since then, residents have endured difficult conditions without electricity for the past three weeks.

“Over the past two years, BPL has been developing a long-term generation plan for Little Grand Cay to provide increased capacity, appropriate backup generation and greater security of supply,” BPL added.

“That plan has now advanced to the project-development stage, and BPL is preparing for its execution over the coming months. The company is currently evaluating and narrowing its selection of vendors, with particular attention to technical requirements, reliability and equipment delivery times.”

BPL said its objective is to implement a generation configuration that reduces the likelihood that the unavailability of a single unit will result in an extended interruption affecting the entire community.

The prolonged outage has forced residents to rely on portable generators, spending hundreds of dollars on fuel.

Residents have also reported damages appliances and questioned whether they will be reimbursed or receive credits on their electricity bills for money spent on fuel.

Yesterday, BPL acknowledged the potential losses associated with the outages, saying a customer assistance team will visit the island once electricity has been restored and stabilised to provide guidance on the claims process.

“Customers who intend to submit a claim are encouraged to retain relevant photographs, receipts, invoices, repair reports and other supporting documentation,” the power company added.

“The customer assistance team will help residents understand the requirements and ensure that submitted claims are properly received and reviewed in accordance with the established process.”

BPL added that it remains focused on restoring electricity safely and will continue to engage with the community and provide updates as their work progresses.