The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A  CABINET minister yesterday pledged to continue pressing for more reliable electricity supply in his Eleuthera constituency, where residents reported repeated power outages over the holiday weekend that disrupted homes and businesses.

Clay Sweeting, minister of works and Family Island affairs, and the Central and South Eleuthera MP, made the commitment in a statement recorded at Hatchet Bay, where construction is under way on EA Energy’s new solar and liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant.

“Eleuthera, I know you're tired; tired of food spoiling, appliances burning out, businesses losing money, and days at home without electricity,” said Mr Sweeting.

“We are not there yet, but we are moving, and I'm staying on it until we are,” he added, describing the EA Energy project as a means of delivering cleaner, more reliable electricity while reducing dependence on ageing diesel generators.

However, residents continued to report persistent Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) interruptions over the weekend, with one describing conditions as “horrible and unbearable” after electricity went off repeatedly.

Mr McKenzie said the outages were particularly concerning for elderly residents and persons dependent on medication such as insulin which needs to be kept refrigerated. “There is no excuse for this,” he said

He also questioned why the response to power outages did not appear to match the attention given to other emergencies, and criticised the lack of communication about what was causing the BPL disruptions, how long they might continue and what was being done to address them.

Another resident, Ms Rolle, said the prolonged outages are compounding the financial pressure on households already facing high electricity bills.

“The service has been terrible and they are charging bills near double. It's a nightmare honestly,” she said.

She said relying on generators is an expensive alternative, estimating that running a gas generator around the clock could cost hundreds due to rising gasoline and diesel costs. 

Households using generators to maintain electricity during extended outages face additional fuel expenses on top of their regular BPL bills. Ms Rolle  also questioned whether customers are receiving credits or other compensation for electricity they had paid for but could not reliably use, as well as for losses associated with damaged appliances and disrupted businesses.

The concerns come as the Government looks to overhaul electricity generation on Eleuthera through the Hatchet Bay project, which is being developed by EA Energy alongside BPL's existing power station.

The hybrid facility is planned to combine solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, LNG-fired power and battery energy storage. The project is part of a wider initiative to modernise electricity supply on Eleuthera and Abaco, with the new facilities intended to improve reliability and reduce dependence on conventional diesel generation.

EA Energy previously outlined plans for the two plants to begin supplying electricity in the third quarter of 2026.

For residents, however, the immediate concern remains the reliability of the existing electricity supply, the costs of coping with repeated outages and whether BPL and the authorities will provide clearer answers about the problems affecting the island.