Bahamas Power and Light is providing a much-needed Christmas gift for the thousands of consumers struggling to keep their lights on.
The company’s Chairman Donovan Moxey on Friday announced that those customers in arrears can pay 25 per cent of their outstanding bills to avoid disconnection.
On an equally positive note, customers already disconnected can have their power restored just in time for Christmas.
They would have to pay 25 per cent of their outstanding bills on or before Wednesday, December 19th.
BPL Director of Customer Services Peter Rutherford said, “We’re trying to make an offer for those customers who may find themselves or think that they will possibly be disconnected.”
“We want to alleviate those fears. So if your balances are over 60 days and you’re running that risk, if you do come in and see any of our CSR’s and you pay at least 25 per cent on your arrears, what we will do is make sure that you have an enjoyable Christmas and we will withhold those disconnections.
“In addition, for those persons who find themselves disconnected, whether its yesterday, whether its last week or last month, come in talk to us.
“We want to hear from you; we will work out something where you pay the 25 per cent of your arrears and we’re going to get you back on.”
The promotion is only valid for a short period.
“The promotion only lasts for the month of December, but one of the things extremely important as most of our customers would know, is that BPL does have an existing payment plan where 25 percent is required to take advantage of that plan, ” said Rutherford.
“So those of our customers who take advantage of this offer in December want to come back in January and take advantage of our payment plan they won’t have to pay a second 25 per cent.”
“They can simply use what they have paid here in the month of December and simply take advantage of the payment plan moving forward,” the BPL Chairman said.
While getting those bills out the way is certainly important, as BPL’s Chief Operating Officer Christina Alston stressed, so is safety.
“So, one of the big things that we wanted to address is the overloading of circuits, everybody has their lights and they want to get out there with their extension cords and they want to plug everything up.”
“I just want everyone to be cognizant of the fact that there is a breaker there so be cognizant of the size of that breaker.”
“Also, I want to let everyone know about using electrical cords. Even in my own neighborhood there’s lots of electrical cords, so there’s in door and there’s outdoor.”
“Check your electrical cords for fraying, if its worn or fraying don’t use it. Make sure that you’re using the indoor cords inside and the outside cords outside, this is really important,” she said.
BPL’s expecting a large number of its customers to take advantage of the promotion.
This considering that some 5,000 BPL customers have had their electricity disconnected.
