BPL hits western NP with more load shedding

BPL hits western NP with more load shedding

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – For the second time in 72 hours, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) carried out a load shedding exercise yesterday morning as a result of engine tripping which created a generation shortfall.

According to BPL, an engine tripped at around noon yesterday, resulting in widespread service interruptions for customers in southern New Providence.

“BPL control has reported a generation shortage,” the power company said around 12:52 p.m.

“Expect load shedding in two-hour rotation.

“We are now load shedding in Blue Hill Road South, East Street South, Baha Mar east and west, the Melia, Sir Lynden Pindling Estates, Skyline Drive and the Jerome Avenue area.”

“Our Montagu Switching Station is off, affecting the Village Road area.

“Also, off are the Winton shopping center and the airport exit.”

When contacted yesterday, Baha Mar Senior Vice President of Administration and External Affairs Robert ‘Sandy’ Sands said the outages had no impact on the resort’s properties.

BPL conducted a similar load shedding exercise on Monday in eastern and central New Providence — the result of a generational shortfall of approximately 18 megawatts.

The power company also carried out load shedding in mid-February after and a fault on an engine at the Blue Hills power plant.

BPL has been challenged to reduce intermittent outages.

In an effort to resolve the long-standing problem, the power provider contracted Finnish Technology group Wartsila to install a new $95 million, 132-megawatt engine power plant.

Those generation are expected to arrive on island next month and be fully installed by September.

Frustration

BPL said customers were returned to service at approximately 2 p.m.

Irate customers were quick to vent their frustration on BPL’s Facebook page.

“Y’all need to get ya’ll [expletive] together when it

“When it isn’t the light, it’s the water.

“I want to know how y’all add up light bills when power [is] off half of the time and y’all coming around doing disconnections.

“Please tell the people that because I can’t see people having light bills if the power [is] off.”

Steve Albury jeered, “The warm, hot weather must’ve caught them by surprise.”

Another user asked, “Will there ever be a time when you become competent.”

Facebook user, Shan Cul, made a similar point.

“I just don’t understand why we have this same problem every year,” she said.

“The cost of electricity is increasing, but nothing seems to be done to fix this generation shortage”.

About Royston Jones Jr.

Royston Jones Jr. is a senior digital reporter and occasional TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. Since joining Eyewitness News as a digital reporter in 2018, he has done both digital and broadcast reporting, notably providing the electoral analysis for Eyewitness News’ inaugural election night coverage, “Decision Now 2021”.