Admitting that he is “deeply unhappy” that Bahamians are suffering from the vexing load shedding issue, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis called Bahamas Power and Light’s (BPL) service “unacceptable,” but assured that the company is currently carrying out a temporary plan to mitigate its shortfall in generation.

“It is expected to provide relief to residents as soon as possible,” Dr. Minnis said yesterday.  “In support, an additional nine megawatts of power from Aggreko units are expected to be returned to service.”

He added that a six-man team of specialists from Philadelphia Gear is in New Providence assisting with the matter.

“The team has started working with the intention of returning an additional 20 megawatts of power to service at the Baillou Hill Power Plant,” Dr. Minnis said.

Philadelphia Gear designs and manufactures power transmission equipment and gears. 

BPL’s peak demand is 250 megawatts and is currently experiencing a 40 megawatt shortfall.

The prime minister noted that on Tuesday Cabinet ministers met with BPL executives and board members to discuss the unacceptable state of power generation in New Providence.

“Over the last several months, BPL has had to engage in prolonged periods of load shedding, due to a decaying generation fleet that has presented challenges to power generation in New Providence for decades,” he explained.

“I am deeply unhappy that our families are suffering.  I fully understand that Bahamians and residents want clear and immediate action.

“I want to assure you that the government is committed to doing whatever is necessary to alleviate this problem, including further additional measures.

“The frustration and inconvenience experienced by Bahamians and residents, in homes and in businesses throughout New Providence is simply unacceptable.

“We are doing all we can to fix this problem long-term, and to ensure that Bahamians and residents receive the consistent power supply that they deserve. “

As part of the long-term solution, work has already begun on a 132-megawatt power plant in New Providence.