The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The North Andros Chamber of Commerce president yesterday said a $20m renewable energy deal could finally provide long-awaited stability for the island’s economy after years of unreliable, expensive power that has hurt businesses and households alike.

Darin Bethel told Tribune Business that the Government’s private-public partnrership (PPP) with 100 percent Bahamian-owned Andros Renewable Energy Company is “very much needed” after what he described as the worst period for utilities in Andros.

He said that while the implementation of renewable energy in Andros has “felt like a campaign promise” for some time, he is optimistic the power purchase agreement (PPA) signed between Andros Renewable Energy Company and Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) could finally bring long-overdue reliability after four years of worsening utility service.

“That’s something they have talked about since coming into government, and it’s very much needed when you look at the outages we’ve been experiencing. It kind of feels like a campaign promise, considering how long ago it was needed,” said Mr Bethel.

“Since the fire in North Andros, and subsequently the one in Central Andros, we have been operating on temporary supplies that have been inconsistent. After years of terrible service - the past four years have been the worst ever in North Andros when it comes to utilities - if this happens, it will be a great relief to the business community and the general public.”

Prime Minister Philip Davis KC said the agreement represents a significant step in the Government’s broader energy reform efforts, aimed at lowering electricity costs, modernising outdated plants and delivering more reliable service across the Family Islands.

He acknowledged that Andros residents and businesses have endured years of power cuts, and said the new generation assets are intended to address those long-standing challenges in a “serious, long-term way”.

“For years, families and businesses in Andros have lived with power cuts, unstable supply, and the worry that comes every time the lights flicker. What we are doing today is dealing with those problems in a serious, long-term way,” said Mr Davis.

“We are answering that call and giving Andros an energy system that supports your plans for your families, your communities and your businesses.”

JoBeth Coleby-Davis, minister of energy and transport, described the agreement as “a covenant with the people of Andros” that will power economic growth and development on the island.

She said the project forms part of the Government’s wider energy reform strategy to modernise generation, improve reliability and ensure that no island is left behind in the transition to cleaner, more efficient systems.

“This agreement is a covenant with the people of Andros for the powering of an energy transformation that will support economic growth and development on the island. As a small nation comprised of many islands, we have made sure that our national energy reform plans are comprehensive in scope and leave no island behind,” said Mrs Coleby-Davis.

The Government, through BPL, has signed a $20m PPA with Andros Renewable Energy Company, which is fully Bahamian-owned, for the construction and operation of three hybrid power plants in North, Central and South Andros.

Under the agreement, Andros Renewable Energy Company will finance, build and operate the facilities, which will deliver a combined 7.2 mega awatts (MW) of generation capacity. The energy mix will include 6.5 MW powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 1.6 MW generated through solar energy, supported by battery energy storage systems (BESS).

The plants are intended to replace aging and temporary generation units, improve reliability, reduce fuel inefficiencies and lower operating costs, while supporting the Government’s broader national energy reform initiative.

The agreement runs through a long-term PPA structure under which BPL will purchase power from Andros Renewable Energy Company once the plants are constructed and commissioned, with completion targeted for 2027.