The Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) is spending an estimated $5 million on engine repairs to ensure there are no blackouts this summer.
According to top management, engines are being "reconditioned" to make sure they are at optimal levels during this demanding season. Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC), a Scandinavian company, is in the process of refurbishing engines with BEC before the hot months hit.
Leslie Miller, the chairman of BEC, said he doesn't want any blackouts this summer.
"BWSC, the Scandinavian contractors, have put in four of the major engines, which are workhouse engines really. They are now doing re-servicing along with the staff at BEC. It's a continuous program that will get us through the summer," he explained. "So by June 1, most of our machines will be operating at full optimum capacity and that would enable us not have any blackouts. We're spending approximately $5 million."
The BEC chairman estimates that customers could see anywhere from a seven to 10 percent decrease in their electricity bills once the refurbishments are complete.
"Once Clifton is running properly, we are going to get the most out of those engines at Clifton. That will take the load off the fuel. The reason why the fuel costs are so high is because we are using more engines at Blue Hills than what we are using at Clifton, which burn about a third more fuel than Clifton," he noted.
"We have been trying to reverse that. We are trying to get Clifton to do about 65 to 70 percent of the base load for New Providence. We want to start reducing the cost of electricity in the very near future within the next three months. We are estimating that decrease to be between seven and 10 percent. Once that takes place, you will get a lower electricity bill because there is less fuel burning at Clifton versus Blue Hills. This decrease will be seen across the board."
Just last month, thousands of BEC customers were without power for hours during an island-wide blackout.
Miller has said that cheaper, alternative energy sources would be one of the items topping the agenda of BEC's board of directors in an effort to stabilize the cost of fuel.
"The prevailing circumstances on the world stage dictate what BEC pays for oil. We are looking to get agreements either with one of the major oil-producing countries in our region like Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico and Columbia," Miller explained. "Either we can get a government-to-government situation or let BEC have a contractual arrangement with the national corporations in those countries. That's the sort of thing that BEC looks forward to, where it is dealing with the producer to try and stabilize the price."
Miller further revealed to Guardian Business that BEC is also looking at retrofitting its plants to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) and exploring the possibilities of solar and waste-based energy. The corporation is in fact reviewing four proposals touting the use of natural gas to generate electricity.
"Most powerful countries have now switched towards LNG. Solar energy is another area that we want to look at in a tangible way. We are looking to meet with the newly-appointed Chinese ambassador to encourage the use of solar panels among Bahamians at a much more affordable price," he added.
"The cheapest source of energy outside of oil is the use of solar panels. We believe that if BEC was to enter a contractual agreement with companies in China, they would be able to assist us here in The Bahamas with a very competitive or discounted price, making them available in large quantities for BEC to be able to resell to consumers."

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