The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

New Providence residents may face additional planned power outages over the coming weeks as Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) and Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) complete the final phase of transmission and distribution upgrades designed to strengthen the island's electricity network.

Energy minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis yesterday attributed recent power outages across New Providence to a combination of grid modernization work, hidden system faults and unusually high electricity demand driven by a May heat wave that resembled conditions normally experienced later in the summer.

Her comments came as Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) customers continued to experience intermittent outages following a week of disruptions that affected communities throughout New Providence and Paradise Island.

Mrs Coleby-Davis said she received a briefing from both BPL and Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) on the recent interruptions and the steps being taken to complete critical transmission and distribution upgrades while minimising the impact on consumers.

"We are now in the last four weeks or so of completing the foundational portion of our grid modernization programme, and the teams are working together to minimise disruption while putting in place a schedule of planned outages that may help alleviate some of the impact," she said.

Mrs Coleby Davis explained that much of the heavy construction work associated with substation and grid upgrades had been completed with relatively little disruption. However, the final phase of the project requires tie-ins and other work that sometimes necessitates taking circuits offline.

At the same time, New Providence experienced unusually high electricity demand during May.

"What we experienced in May was a spike in temperatures that we would normally see in late August or September," said Mrs Coleby-Davis.

"That increased demand on parts of the grid where some circuits were temporarily offline to facilitate upgrade works."

She added that the combination of higher demand and reduced network flexibility had exposed faults that would not otherwise have become apparent.

"When you place that level of demand on the system, faults that would not normally reveal themselves can begin to appear. At the same time, we have had to address those issues while continuing critical modernization work."

BPL previously attributed recent outages to equipment faults, underground cable failures and elevated system loads caused by the heat wave. The utility has also said BGC remains on track to complete major transmission and distribution upgrades before the end of June.

Mrs Coleby-Davis rejected suggestions that the interruptions amounted to load shedding.

"It is not load shedding. We have not been load shedding," she said.

"What you may see is more planned outages where we advise customers ahead of time that a circuit or transmission line must be taken offline so work can be completed and service restored."

Mrs Coleby Davis said she has instructed BPL to increase communications with consumers and provide greater transparency regarding the causes of outages and planned maintenance activities.

"I advised the team that we need to make sure we are being very transparent, open and communicative with consumers, while also taking accountability where challenges arise," she said.