Grand Bahama Power Company’s (GBPC’s) efforts to strengthen the resiliency of the Island’s electricity grid and improve reliability are delivering results for customers.
In 2017, GBPC undertook a comprehensive audit of its transmission and distribution assets and developed a plan to correct identified deficiencies. Over the past two years, the company has invested more than $6 million to strengthen the system and make it more resilient.
“We know that customers count on us for energy to power every moment of every day,” said Nikita Mullings, GBPC’s Director, Customer Operations. “That’s why we are proactively working to reduce outages, improve reliability, and address system protection issues. We’re committed to building a stronger, smarter grid to deliver reliable service to our customers at the lowest cost possible and prepare our utility to deliver a cleaner energy future for the Island,” Mullings added.
GBPC’s grid resiliency plan focuses on the transmission and distribution aspects of delivery, while off-island crews replaced 256 poles and serviced transmission lines, GBPC crews and local contractors focused on areas that experienced a high volume of isolated outages as well as power quality issues. As a result of these initiatives, customers in areas such as Maliboo Reef, Coral Reef Estates, Pioneers Loop and Eight Mile Rock experienced improved reliability and are experiencing substantially fewer isolated outages and power quality issues.
GBPC continues to strive for increasing levels of system reliability and will invest an additional $3 million this year to further strengthen the electricity grid. GBPC crews began work in South Bahamia earlier this year, inspecting each home in the area and replacing assets, where necessary, from the pole into the weather-head. GBPC crews are currently conducting preventative maintenance for the duration of this month in Hudson Estate, Frobisher Dr., Adventurers Way, Explorers Way, Heritage, Fairfield, and Yeoman Wood.
“With the focus and dedication of the GBPC team, we are proud to have dramatically reduced the number of outages that customers experience and will continue our efforts throughout the year.” Mullings added.
Improving the efficiency of the electricity network remains a high priority, and the company is working diligently to improve the level of reliability for all Grand Bahamians.