NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd. (BPL) Chief Operating Officer Anthony Christie outlined the company’s strategic approach to funding, fuel management, and operational efficiency, emphasizing the challenges of delivering reliable, affordable power across the archipelago during his address at the Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants’ (BICA) Annual Accountants Week Seminar.
Speaking on the panel “Energy at a Crossroads: Cutting Costs, Driving Efficiency,” Christie said BPL’s performance is ultimately measured by its ability to meet peak demand during the summer months, when generation capacity and customer expectations are tested most intensely.
“At BPL, we measure our success by the summer,” Christie said. “This past summer, we performed well on New Providence, but the Family Islands remain our greatest challenge due to the complexity of the network and the geography of the archipelago. We’re working now to make sure that next summer is a better summer all around.”
Christie emphasized that ensuring consistent fuel supply while mitigating cost volatility is central to BPL’s strategy. Fuel hedging and tariff reviews are among the tools the utility is using to stabilize pricing for customers.
“Ensuring that we have fuel available is key, but equally important is the cost of that fuel,” he said. “We’re actively exploring hedging options to secure more predictable pricing, and we’re also conducting a tariff review to make sure our rates are correctly structured and fairly applied to customer bills.”
Funding remains both a challenge and an opportunity for BPL. Christie highlighted ongoing efforts to secure financing through Independent Power Producers (IPPs), development partners such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and close coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Transport.
He noted that BPL’s operational scope, spanning multiple islands, makes its business model inherently more complex than utilities operating on a single grid. Every initiative aims to level electricity costs across the country, ensuring fairness for all Bahamians.
“The cost of generation in the Family Islands is higher than on New Providence, but customers pay the same rate,”Christie explained. “That’s why it’s so important for us, and for the government, to continue finding ways to lower and level the cost of energy nationwide.”
Christie also previewed an upcoming national Energy Summit hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Transport, which will focus on renewable integration, LNG as a transitional fuel, and the financial models needed to sustain energy progress.
“In five years, we expect to have a more reliable grid, lower operational costs, and a fairer energy system overall,”he said. “By using the cheapest fuels available, managing our finances carefully, and partnering with the right institutions, we’re building an energy future that’s both stable and sustainable.”
BPL’s participation in the BICA seminar underscores the company’s commitment to financial transparency, operational efficiency, and collaboration as it works to provide reliable, equitable, and affordable power across The Bahamas.
