By Maliyah Connolly
Journal Staff Writer

Bahamas Power and Light reacting to what it calls concerns expressed by one of its
major customers a leading food store believed to be the Super Value chain that
expressed concerns last week that its electricity bill has increased by more than 29
percent over previous months equating to approximately some $74,000.
BPL said in a statement released this week that it acknowledges the concerns, but
noted that “it is common to see seasonal increases in electricity consumption
during the summer months, particularly for commercial operations that rely heavily
on air conditioning and refrigeration.”
BPL is also reminding and encouraging customers to employ energy efficient
equipment and to ensure that your equipment is properly maintained and serviced.
The electricity provider also notes that their base rates did not change over the past
few months. However they explained, “BPL’s fuel charges in June reflected an
upward adjustment of $0.017 per unit due to fluctuations in global fuel market
prices, specifically the cost of diesel used for electricity generation. This charge is
reviewed monthly and passed directly to consumers without any markup.”
BPL said while they understand the food store chain’s concerns, their records
indicated that the primary cause for the increase in their bill was a significant
increase in the usage of electricity, compounded with the fuel charge increase.
They said, “We are actively communicating with the food store chain and other
customers to ensure that any concerns are addressed and questions regarding
billings are resolved with direct engagement and transparency.
Last week residents on Harbour Island were in the news again complaining about
frequent power outages. This prompted the electricity giant to release yet another
statement in which they said, “As one of the country’s most iconic tourism
destinations continues into the height of its summer season, Bahamas Power and
Light Company Ltd is pressing forward with critical upgrades to stabilize
generation capacity and improve overall service reliability on Harbour Island. The
effort comes amid heightened demand from hotels, restaurants, and residents, and
follows several months of challenges linked to aging equipment, technical

constraints, and delayed part deliveries. In recent weeks, however, BPL has made
measurable progress to reinforce the island’s energy infrastructure.”
The statement noted that there have been some key milestones regarding Harbour
Island including the restoration of their Electro-Motive Diesel unit (EMD) #2 to
full service, with EMD #1 expected to return by the end of next week following the
arrival of key components from the U.S. and the availability of six Aggreko rental
units, which are currently providing 4.8 MW of support capacity, with radiator
repairs underway to bring output closer to the full 6 MW.
The statement said, “While we acknowledge the difficulties residents and hoteliers
have experienced, we want to assure the public that progress is being made,” said
Pedro Marcello, BPL’s Regional Manager for the Southern Islands. “Our goal is to
ensure that Harbour Island has the generation and network support it needs; not
just this summer, but for the long term.”
The Davis administration has launched what it describes as one of the most
transformative national initiatives that will update the National Energy Policy,
which aims to reshape the country’s energy landscape for generations to come with
cleaner, cheaper, more reliable energy including an increase in the use of
renewable energy while reducing the need for fossil fuels.