Load shedding temporarily suspended Tuesday, but reinitiated by evening
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd. (BPL) continues the work to address the serious load shedding and grid strain issues that have disrupted the daily lives of so many of our customers in New Providence. Prime Minister Dr. The Most Hon. Hubert Minnis has committed that BPL’s problems “will be fixed,” and our dedicated team is continuing to work to fix the problems and bring more generation online as quickly as possible. We will continue to update the public on our efforts each day. While we still face a deficit of up to 40 megawatts of power during peak energy consumption, our teams of local and international partners have been focusing extraordinary effort while working 24-hour shifts on several aging generation units presently out of service that can provide a combination of the needed power when they are up and running.
BPL reported a shortfall of 25-megawatts of power yesterday afternoon and foreshadowed load shedding of two hours and 40 minutes. It estimated that the load shedding exercises would be carried out in three-hour interval today due to an estimated 30-megawatt shortfall.
“Our current availability is 200 megawatts against an expected day peak of 215 megawatts and an expected evening peak of 225 megawatts,” BPL said.
“We continue to work on two units at the Blue Hills Power Station (BHPS), representing 44 megawatts of unavailable power. “The team encountered some challenges overnight on the final phase of alignment on the 1stUNIT at BHPS (Blue Hills Power Station) – rated for 23 megawatts. Those challenges were dealt with in the early hours of the morning and work on this unit, which suffered a failure of an internal mechanical component, progressed steadily throughout the day.
“The weather also presented challenges, with the rain and the lightning presenting particular difficulties through the night and the early part of the day for work on both units. Precision assembly is slated for tonight and tomorrow.
That unit is expected to be returned online in another seven to 10 days.
It said coupling for the 21-megwatt unit was almost completed.
The unit is on schedule for a September 6 completion, according to the power company.
