Dear Editor,
For months, Grand Bahama has faced an energy crisis with little response from the supposedly two conflicting regulators: the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA). The Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC) seems to operate unchecked, leaving the island’s residents in limbo.
We need more than just a conversation about potential rate hikes. It’s also time for a comprehensive discussion on updating Grand Bahama’s energy regulatory framework. The current system appears outdated and ineffective, with no clear penalties for service failures or any transparent accountability.
There has been no meaningful dialogue with the stakeholders, including licensees under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, who were intended to benefit from non-profit energy generation. We need a 21st-century regulatory authority, built by and for the people of Grand Bahama, that prioritizes modernizing the energy infrastructure. It’s crucial that all stakeholders, especially licensees participate in designing a 21st-century regulatory authority that can deliver reliable, affordable energy and drive our island’s progress.
It’s time to modernize our approach, considering self-generation, community power, microgrids, and separating transmission and distribution from generation. The separation of transmission and distribution from generation could also allow for more efficient management, access, and cost transparency.
Grand Bahama has the potential to lead true energy reform, and innovative energy regulation, attracting investment, and supporting business growth. Grand Bahama has the potential to become a model for the world.
Let’s begin the conversation on energy now, as it is key to fulfilling the original vision of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA) and ensuring a prosperous future.
We must also revisit the Hawksbill Creek Agreement’s Vision for Freeport’s development.
Written by: C. Allen Johnson
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