The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS in eastern New Providence can expect more power outages as the Bahamas Electricity Corporation “scrambles” to find the source of the power cuts, according to outgoing BEC Executive Chairman Leslie Miller.

Speaking with The Tribune, Mr Miller said technicians cannot seem to pinpoint what the problem is or why the electricity goes out in that area at least once a week. However, he said hopefully when PowerSecure takes over BEC, the company would be able to bring relief to residents.

His comments came after parts of eastern New Providence were plunged into darkness for more than eight hours on Sunday night.

“They cannot pinpoint what the problem is and it is going to continue to be a problem until the new guys (PowerSecure) come in to find it,” Mr Miller said.

“One of our main overhead transmission lines that runs from Clifton up to Prince Charles Drive through the plant at Blue Hills, and it happens a lot, one of those lines had a rupture. That happened around 8.30pm and my power went out too so I jumped into my (car) and the entire eastern area was out.

“I went to the substation and three guys were there trying to fix it. They went up and down the entire Prince Charles Drive trying to find the short and so some people did not have power until after midnight and some people did not have power until about 6am Monday morning.”

Mr Miller also said BEC will not disconnect any residents in August or September because it is “inhumane in all this heat” and “single mothers should not have to choose between school (fees) and power.”

“It is just too hot and these mothers are under dire stress to pay school fees and put their children in school and we do not want to add more pressure to them by making them pay an outrageous light bill. As long as I am there, I will see to it that they will have some relief,” Mr Miller said.

“No customer will be turned off in September and August, we have to assist these mothers with back to school. It is unfair and people are hurting.”

Last month, the government signed a transition services agreement with American company PowerSecure for management of BEC.

Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the agreement was “another important step forward towards reducing the cost of electricity and increasing the reliability of power in the Bahamas.”

At the time, he said PowerSecure would finalise its business plan over the next 60 days, which will “provide specific recommendations” on how PowerSecure “plans to manage the new BEC for the next five years.”