July 5, 2026
A few weeks ago, following widespread outages in New Providence, Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis insisted that Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) had enough generation capacity to meet summer demand. So what happened? What is the state of the generation capacity today?
Less than a month since the Minister’s statement, the country and New Providence are plagued with catastrophic and daily electricity blackouts, sometimes lasting hours upon hours. What is the Minister’s excuse this time?
Power losses at Princess Margaret Hospital have resulted in the inability to provide dialysis to patients; businesses without generators cannot transact credit card payments; and Bahamians who cannot afford the expense of purchasing generators are suffering in the sweltering heat in their homes or going for a drive in their cars on roads where traffic lights are inoperable due to the ongoing power failure.
Because of constant power outages, facilities and businesses with generators are also experiencing problems with consistent electricity supply. There were reports of the electricity off at multiple venues serving tourists. The outages are damaging our economy, damaging equipment and appliances in homes and businesses, and destroying generators meant to supply temporary relief.
We were told that the sale of BPL’s electricity grid assets to Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) would produce a reliable, consistent energy supply, and that load shedding would become a thing of the past.
The Bahamian people, through BPL, obtained a 40% stake in BGC in return for giving away its valuable grid assets. A private consortium of investors secured the majority 60% ownership stake in BGC in the deal that was supposed to represent progress for the Bahamian people.
We have never been told the names of these private investors. What we do know is that the change in ownership has not resulted in the progress that the PLP promised.
Recently released BPL bills have resulted in charges that are, in some cases, double and even triple the usual amounts. What has the public received in exchange for this sharp increase in costs? This is not the so-called energy reform we were promised by the Davis administration in 2021. And it is not the progress and transformation the PLP promised at the last election.
Instead of more spin, evasions, contradictions, deflections, and foolishness, the Davis administration needs to be open and honest about the generation, transmission, and other problems causing the blackouts. Has the Government’s PR on BPL moved into the territory of fabrication?
Minister Coleby-Davis needs to come clean on the facts and stop trying to fool the Bahamian people, who are suffering because of the Government’s neglect and massive incompetence.
Dr. S. André Rollins
Shadow Minister of Energy, Utilities & Aviation