The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power & Light CEO Toni Pratt says the utility is on track to reach 32 per cent renewable energy by 2027, outlining a sustainability strategy centred on climate resilience, energy security and electricity affordability.

Ms Pratt made the comments during a presentation at the Bahamas Business Outlook last week, where she detailed what sustainability looks like for Bahamas Power & Light as it modernises the country’s energy system.

Ms Seymour outlined Bahamas Power & Light’s triangular approach to sustainability, which she said rests on three interconnected pillars: understanding climate change, achieving energy security, and making electricity affordable for every Bahamian.

She said that “true sustainability” depends on balancing all three pillars, warning against focusing on any one in isolation.

Ms Seymour acknowledged the government’s “New Energy Era”, which seeks to integrate solar energy, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and liquefied natural gas (LNG) into the country’s energy mix to address climate change.

The government’s “New Energy Era” initiative seeks to address long-standing concerns around high fuel costs, aging infrastructure, and system reliability.

The initiative has been promoted as a pathway to greater energy security and lower electricity costs over time, though officials have acknowledged that full benefits will depend on infrastructure upgrades and successful integration of new technologies across the islands.

Local businesses have raised concerns about energy stability and high prices, noting that recent power disruptions and rising bills have strained operating costs even as reforms are underway.

The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation said energy reliability must improve in tandem with reform efforts to ease the financial burdens on firms already coping with inflation and other rising costs.

She said a diversified approach reduces BPL’s carbon footprint while decreasing reliance on traditional fossil fuel-powered engines.

“This approach provides a cleaner, more reliable, and more sustainable way forward for power generation in The Bahamas,” Ms Seymour said, adding that the link between understanding climate change and achieving energy security lies in resilience and reduced dependence on a single source of power.

She explained that BPL’s hybrid model contributes directly to system resilience.

“Solar, a renewable energy source, is intermittent. However, BESS, which are charged while harnessing solar radiance, give us the breathing room we need,” she said. “At nightfall, or during periods of heavy cloud coverage, the battery units seamlessly supply power to the grid. This is resiliency.”

Ms Seymour said BPL expects the transition to solar, BESS, and LNG to not only be cleaner for the environment but also lead to lower electricity bills for consumers, while continuing to work toward the global target of 30 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

“We are charting a more sustainable future powered by strategic investments and innovative partnerships,” she said. “Birthing solutions for a brighter Bahamas — literally.”