No electricity problems this summer, predicts Moxey

BPL chairman Donovan Moxey.

As of Wednesday, February 20, 2019

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light chairman Donovan Moxey says there should be no issues in the coming summer months when consumers will use more electricity.

Mr Moxey said BPL was working on a solution for the summer, but, as yet there was not enough information available to make it public at this time.

But as he was expressing high hopes for the summer yesterday, New Providence experienced load shedding after one of BPL’s generators tripped off.

“We’re working on a solution for the summer and once we have enough information we’ll make that available for you,” Mr Moxey said yesterday in an interview with reporters following a presentation to the Rotary Club of Nassau at Luciano’s of Chicago.

“From our perspective given the assets that we have and provided there are no significant impacts on those assets in terms of their ability to operate, we should have no issues in the summer time with the plans that we have now to shore up some generation at Clifton. So we are pretty hopeful that things will be in place between now and the summer time to cover all of our needs.”

Mr Moxey was also asked when Bahamians could expect lower electricity costs. He explained that the fuel surcharge has remained at a capped rate of 19.15cents, but said the true cost is 22 cents.

Consumers do not pay the latter rate right now due to a decision to finance the difference in cost, cushioning the blow.

However, Mr Moxey said the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority has said all costs have to be absorbed by the consumer.

He said BPL is working on putting together a process where overtime as the cost of electricity goes down, passing those costs that were financed by BPL on to the customer. Still he insisted this didn’t mean electricity costs would again return to elevated levels, pointing to the capped 19.15cent fuel surcharge.

“What affects persons’ bills is the fuel surcharge. That’s where the fluctuation comes in with the price of oil and so given the fact that the price of oil right now is around $60 to $70 a barrel given the fact that because of the assets we are using now, we are using the most expensive diesel oil that impacts cost. So as I indicted earlier what we are trying to do is put in solutions in place that essentially has us using the least expensive oil which is HFO and also eventually as quickly as we possibly can transitioning off with the rental units, which use the more expensive fuel oil as well.

“The thing that impacts cost to customers is really the fuel surcharge and to be quite honest with you, usage. So one of the things we talked about today was embarking on an energy conservation awareness programme where we can tell folks: ‘summer is coming make sure that you have your homes with the proper insulation, that you get high efficiency low cost light bulbs (and) put your water heater on a timer. All of those are things that actually reduces your electricity consumption and we are going to try our best to get our customers ready for the summer time so that they can use less electricity,” he said.

hrysippus 5 years, 1 month ago

I do so like a person who can tell a good joke with a straight face, but isn't this joke getting a little bit worn out from being told so often?

yeahyasee 5 years, 1 month ago

LMAO

thomas 5 years, 1 month ago

They are having problems now,

BONEFISH 5 years, 1 month ago

I want to believe him.But I can't, based on past experiences.

Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 1 month ago

Maynard runs BPL, not Moxey. LMAO

TheMadHatter 5 years, 1 month ago

He is correct. In fact, I would add that generators that are "hardened by fire" are much more reliable and tend to even run sometimes without fuel, producing amazing efficiency and benefits for those tied onto the same grid.

The Bahamas - It just Keeps Getting Better

bogart 5 years, 1 month ago

DA UNION PRESIDENT.....NEEDS TO ISSUE STATEMENT......ON ELECTRICAL...MATTERS....DA STATEMENT IS COMFORT....TO BUSINESSES....EXPEMSES...OPERATIONS....GENERATORS...MAINTENSNCE....KEEPING FREEZERS...ADDED INFLOWS OF CUSTOMERS NEEDIN ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS FROM STORES.Open wid generators....CRITICALLY...PORE PEOPLE DEPEMDENT......STORES..SELLING AIRSOL GAS.......miscut chicken piece packet....chicken foot packet...slam bam....CANS FROM FOODSTORE FOR PORE PEOPLE TO USE stove to feed chillren...old parents in house..ill.....OFFICIAL statement needed Mr. Maynard.....

Clamshell 5 years, 1 month ago

Cool. You don’t see Morse Code much anymore.

Dawes 5 years, 1 month ago

Every year someone from BPL says that there will be no issues in the summer, and then summer comes and there are issues. Why the tribune doesn't point this out when they say it is beyond me.

Clamshell 5 years, 1 month ago

Bwaaahahahahha ,,, bwahahahahha ... BWAAHAHAHAHAHA. 🤣🤣🤣

licks2 5 years, 1 month ago

This one time I must join the peanut gallery. . .I een know bouy. . .I hear dat frum lil chirrins dem was in primary school. . .now they in UB!! These people dem playing with BPL. . .they look like they playing with we heads. . .heads havta roll around there for these jokes to get their acts together around there!! But I must say that my light been off about twice for the last six months. . .but my light bill gern up. . .even though I turn all things off for about 12 hours each day. . .nobody is in the house to use power. . .only the fridge on. . .but the power getting higher!! I say put the board on that board backside. . .

pingmydling 5 years, 1 month ago

I demand a statement from Donovan Moxey in August. > yeh,yeh I know what I said back in February but there was the hurricane, and the engine fires, and the unusual demand, and fuel delivery problems, etc. etc etc. and I did not get the raise those SOBs were supposed to give me. So I glad you all sweating in the dark.

readbahamas 5 years, 1 month ago

good joke

The Tribune