Published On:Thursday, April 14, 2011

By ALISON LOWE

Business Reporter

alowe@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) is hoping to invest in new generators at its New Providence power stations to enhance its generation efficiency, its chairman said yesterday.

Michael Moss said BEC will ask for funds to be made available in the next budgetary cycle, to begin in July this year, so that it may be in a position to purchase and install the new generation units within the next two years.

While details are still being worked out in terms of the level of investment to be made, Mr Moss suggested BEC is hoping to add an additional 30 to 40 mega watts (MW) of generating capacity in New Providence.

"In the first instance the plan is to effect greater energy efficiency. If the economy starts to expand exponentially, we will have to look at it from another perspective," said the chairman. The new units should increase the amount of power that can be produced from a given quantity of fuel burnt.

Mr Moss added that the units would "most likely" be those suitable for burning Bunker C fuel - the same heavy fuel used in most of BEC's power generation, but which caused controversy when it was first targeted for use at BEC's Abaco plant in Wilson City, given concerns over its impact on the surrounding environment.

Mr Moss said that for now the intention is not for the new generation units to replace any of BEC's current units, although it is anticipated that further investments may take place in the future to allow for more of BEC's generation to be done in way that allows for a more efficient use of fuel burnt.

"When we are on a stronger monetary footing we are likely then to begin to consider retiring the existing plant and putting in more energy efficient units, but as we are just coming out of a deep dark hole of (financial) bleeding, some of these kinds of thoughts are a little bit nebulous," added Mr Moss.