Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) Executive Chairman Leslie Miller yesterday admitted that residents could experience more power outages if the corporation is unable to repair one of three engines damaged on Tuesday night.
The engines were damaged at the corporation's Clifton Pier Power Station during a lightning storm, according to Miller.
While he could not say when the corporation would have the engines back online, Miller said he hoped to have at least one engine back online yesterday.
"We will probably have some problems with load shedding today (Wednesday) unless they can get the engines up," Miller told The Nassau Guardian around 10 a.m.
"In the day is when most of the [fuel is used] with the commercial places being on. That will present some problems for us.
"But hopefully, they say within the next hour, they should have one of the big engines up.
"If that is to take place then we will be fine for the rest of the day, if lightning does not strike and hit anything.
"But again, as I said, our problem is we need more capacity, more reserve capacity. Until that is done, we are going to be stuck with these problems."
BEC has been plagued with intermittent outages and island-wide blackouts for several months.
Numerous residents and business owners have called the service "depressing" and the corporation a "national disgrace", amid persistent outages.
Several residents in eastern New Providence claimed yesterday that their power was off since midnight on Wednesday.
Miller extended an apology to those residents.
However, he insisted that what BEC is experiencing is part of a much larger problem.
"They were load shedding last night (Tuesday)," he said.
"Again, that was because six big engines were out last night.
"When you get those big engines out, that is the reason we switch and go to the medium-speed engines, which are small engines."
The medium-speed engines generate 14 megawatts while the larger engines generate between 26.5 and 32 megawatts of power.
"When one of those larger engines trips, we have a problem," Miller said.
"You have a serious situation where you cannot meet the demand.
"If we have smaller engines with greater capacity, this problem will not reoccur, and that is what needs to happen to BEC."
The executive chairman said it does not matter what entity takes over the corporation, the plan must be to increase capacity and the corporation's reserves if customers are to see blackout-free service.
Prime Minister Perry Christie said on Friday the government has made a decision on the BEC break-up after several delays.
The government announced plans last August to engage a private company, or companies, to gain a management contract to take over transmission, distribution and customer billing at BEC.
Christie said before the government reveals its decision, it has to consult with its advisors, KPMG (Bahamas).
Attempts to follow up with Miller on the status of the engines last night were unsuccessful up to press time.

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