NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Power and Light's (BPL) chief executive yesterday revealed that the company plans to commission a $40 million 20MW solar farm on New Providence by late 2024 as it pushes for 60 MW of utility-scale renewable generation on the island in five years.
Shevonn Cambridge, during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday acknowledged that the utility has been playing "catch up" with regards to renewable integration, which he estimated is 'teetering' around five percent.
According to Cambridge, BPL must make some appreciable dents in its renewable penetration, a key thrust to the company's modernization. He noted that the company plans to have at least 40MW of renewable generation on New Providence in the next three years and 60MW in five years, with the goal of 20MW renewable regeneration on the family islands within that period.
"Within the next year out intention is to install a 20MW solar farm on New Providence. We estimate the cost to be around $40 million and we plan to have that commissioned in late 2024," Cambridge said. This investment he said could result in a two cents per kilowatt hour reduction in the company's fuel charge.
Cambridge also revealed that BPL is looking to undertake a tariff study which could take six to 12 months, noting that the utility has not had a rate increase since 2010.
Cambridge also addressed the state of the Wärtsilä engines which were purchased back in 2019. Prime Minister Philip Davis suggested in Parliament on Wednesday that there was something foul regarding BPL's purchase of those engines which he said have never worked properly.
"Recently I had the opportunity to brief him and basically the engines were designed to operate a certain way but certain recommendations and modifications were made during the project execution resulting in them not performing the way they were originally envisaged," Cambridge explained, noting that the engines were intended to be tri fuel.
He added that while the engines have tri fuel capability, they are not tri fuel ready. He further noted that to make them tri fuel capable, allowing for them to run on liquified natural gas, requires an investment of four million per engine.
When asked yesterday to rate BPL's performance, Cambridge said he would rate the company's performance 8 out of 10.
"I am a part of a chat group with other CEOs throughout the region and the problems we are having are not necessarily unique to us. Everyone is having the same challenge with raising rates in this economic environment and so I would say an 8," said Cambridge.
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