The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis is demanding answers from the Davis administration following claims by Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) that it was denied access to the New Providence Control Center during the weekend’s island-wide power outage.

She said the BGC’s now-deleted Facebook statement raises “serious and troubling questions about the management of our national electricity system”.

According to BGC, it was denied access to the control centre from January 27, despite having what it described as a contractual right to jointly manage the facility. Senator Barnett-Ellis said that, if true, the decision would have left only Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) personnel overseeing the control centre during a critical period and may have affected efforts to assess, mitigate or shorten the outage that impacted thousands of residents.

“As Shadow Minister for Energy, I am asking the following questions on behalf of the Bahamian people,” she said, before listing a series of queries, including: who made the decision to deny access? Whether the Minister of Energy and Prime Minister were informed? And what safeguards exist to ensure contractual partners can perform their roles during emergencies?

“Reliable energy should be a basic right of average Bahamians,” Senator Barnett-Ellis added. “But, this week once again the basic rights of all are being taken away by the PLP’s failed and corrupt ineptitude.”

The comments came after a social media post by BGC during Sunday’s New Providence blackout, in which the company appeared to distance itself from responsibility for the outage. Although the post was later deleted, it was widely circulated.

In the post, BGC said all of its crews were in the field working to restore power, but noted that it was also seeking information from BPL regarding the cause and scope of the outage.

“Unfortunately, for reasons unknown to Bahamas Grid Company, the Bahamas Grid Company team had been denied access to New Providence Control Center by Bahamas Power and Light management since last week (January 27), despite it being Bahamas Grid Company’s contractual right to jointly manage in the control center,” the post said.

BGC added that as a result, “only BPL was in the control center Saturday night to be able to try to assess and mitigate the outage effects in New Providence”.

Yesterday, BPL denied any strain between the companies, saying it is committed to collaboration with BGC.

“Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd. (BPL) wishes to confirm that it remains committed to a seamless working relationship with Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) to ensure that all Bahamians have access to a reliable power supply,” the statement said.

“We will continue to facilitate all necessary steps required to ensure that our collaborative efforts prioritize efficiency and progress while servicing our valued consumers in New Providence.

“BPL is aware of a social media post published by BGC on February 1, 2026, which was eventually deleted. BPL and BGC held a meeting today to discuss the matter and chart the way forward in unity. Our meeting today was productive - we clarified matters and remain committed to the overall goal of servicing Bahamians together.”

BPL said it would not engage in public discourse on the issue, but stressed that it maintains strict protocols governing access to secured spaces, which apply to all employees, partners and visitors.

“BPL affirms that its partnership with BGC remains strong, with both organisations dedicated to launching a New Energy Era for Bahamians—bringing enhanced reliability and resilience to power generation in New Providence,” the statement said.

The outage began shortly after 11pm Saturday, with an island-wide blackout occurring around 1am Sunday. BPL said high winds caused multiple areas to trip offline. Other islands, including Bimini, the Berry Islands, parts of Andros, Exuma, Long Island, Eleuthera and Abaco, also experienced disruptions due to weather-related impacts on infrastructure. BGC is not responsible for the network on those islands.

BGC was created through a public-private partnership between the government and US-based Pike Corporation to manage the transmission and distribution network on New Providence. In 2024, the government announced plans for a 25-year agreement under which BPL would contribute its New Providence transmission and distribution assets, valued at $100 million, in exchange for a minority shareholding, while the private partner would inject capital to upgrade the network.

However, details of the agreement have not been made public, despite repeated calls from the opposition, and the media. Questions have also persisted over staffing arrangements, equipment control and operational responsibilities between the two entities.