NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC) has now secured 14 MW of solar generation after signing off on a power purchase agreement with the FOCOL subsidiary Bahamas Solar and Renewables.
According to David McGregor—the Caribbean chief operating officer for Emera, GB Power’s 100 percent owner—an additional 10 MW is in the works. GB Power has already signed a power purchase agreement with Lucayan Solar and according to McGregor, the additional Bahamas Solar and Renewables output will contribute to roughly 10 percent of the Grand Bahama Power Company’s load.
“It’s been quite a journey and I’m pleased that we’ve reached this major milestone,” McGregor during a press conference announcing the PPA yesterday said. “It’s a five-megawatt plant which will be located in the industrial area which is distinct and separate from the other two solar projects announced with Lucayan earlier this year.
“It’s important that the solar plants are distributed across the island evenly so that in the event we have the odd cloudy day or cloud passing over all of the solar plants aren’t impacted at the same time. The plant will be connected to our transmission system and then the renewable energy will be distributed to our customers,” McGregor continued.
Dexter Adderley, President and CEO of FOCOL said that the plant is expected to be operational within a year. He also noted that FOCOL has 20 staff members enrolled in international training programs to be equipped with the necessary skills and certification to operate the plant.
Under the power purchase agreement, Bahamas Solar and Renewables will sell power to the utility company at a rate of $0.09 cents per kilowatt hour, according to Nikita Mullings, COO of GB Power. She described the agreement as the creation of a “physical hedge” against the “volatility” of the oil market, stabilizing costs for all customers.
Ian Rolle, President of the Grand Bahamas Port Authority, was also bullish about the potential of the agreement.
“This project is an exciting step towards cleaner and greener energy sources that reduce our carbon footprint. It is the second project of its kind announced within the past 30 days, positioning Grand Bahamas as the leader in renewable energy development for The Bahamas,” Rolle said.
