Three regional electricity teams will be flown into Cat Island and Eleuthera to assist with restoration efforts, according to the Bahamas Electricity Corporation.
The teams are a part of Caribbean Electric Utility Service Corporation (CARILEC), which is an association of electricity utilities, suppliers, manufacturers and other stakeholders operating in the electricity industry in the Caribbean.
Those teams are expected to be in place this week, according to a BEC statement.
Additionally, BEC shipped supplies to Cat Island to help with the restoration process yesterday. The supplies, including more than 100 poles and other heavy duty equipment, are expected to arrive ahead of the CARILEC teams.
While he could not provide the cost to restore services, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) director Captain Stephen Russell said the restoration process in Cat Island is expected to be very costly.
For example, he said it would cost as much as $30,000 to rent the barge required to transport the materials BEC needs to carry out the necessary repairs.
Up to yesterday, 10 percent of Cat Island's electricity supply was restored, according to a BEC statement. Areas including the Cove and Arthur's Town, which are located in north Cat Island, have pockets of electricity.
However, BEC officials said areas in south Cat Island were most severely impacted.
Hurricane Irene, which pummelled The Bahamas last week, caused significant damage to Cat Island's electricity supply and to those on several other islands.
BEC is also shipping supplies to Acklins and Eleuthera that will assist in completing the restoration effort.
In addition to Eleuthera and Acklins, Abaco also had major problems with utility poles.
However, BEC is making steady progress with its restoration efforts on those islands, according to the statement.
"In Eleuthera, BEC continues to make progress. Supply is 99 percent restored in Deep Creek and the majority of customers in Hatchet Bay, Tarpum Bay, and Rock Sound have been reconnected," the statement said.
"Efforts continue in Waterford, Green Castle, Governor's Harbour and Palmetto Point. The most significant progress was made in Harbour Island where 90 percent of customers have had their supply restored.
"In Abaco, 95 percent of the island is back on supply. Teams are working in Treasure Cay.  Less than one third of customers in that community have not been reconnected. Green Turtle Cay and Tilloo Cay remain without supply."
In the remainder of the Family Islands, electricity has been restored fully in all but three islands. Up to yesterday, the power supply on Exuma, Mayaguana, and Long Island had been restored by more than 98 percent, according to BEC.

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