BAHAMAS: BPL Abaco Rebuild Statement

Nassau, September 12, 2019 – Bahamas – On Wednesday, Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd. (BPL) loaded two bucket trucks, one crane truck, a line truck, supervisors’ vehicles and a container full of equipment and materials needed for the rebuilding of the network in the south of Abaco. The vehicles and material were loaded aboard the Sea Spirit II, and represent the next step in our efforts to rebuild our infrastructure in Abaco in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

In addition, two teams, comprising eleven (11) BPL linesmen, operators, supervisors and managers, are expected leave New Providence Thursday afternoon and could begin work as soon as Thursday evening.

On September 6, we shipped subsistence items for the local team remaining on the island including water, food items, generators and first aid kits, as well as lines and materials. The shipment leaving Nassau Harbour Wednesday evening carried additional poles and line material, food and other equipment for the line team that is now going in to commence the effort to rebuild the lines. All 53 poles that were sent to Abaco have already been unloaded and dropped at the various work sites where they will be planted, facilitating the replacement of the poles.

CARILEC Connection

As a member of CARICOM (the Caribbean Community) The Bahamas pays into disaster relief fund annually, which grants access to assistance in times of natural disaster such as hurricanes. That assistance comes in the form of skilled labour: linesmen and/or support staff.

These workers climb poles and install hardware: insulators, cross-arms, pins, heavy-duty racks (support); transformers; lightning arrestors, etc., wire (low voltage and high voltage wire); cut-outs, etc.

The aid is provided to restore overhead networks impacted by storms. Generally speaking, once poles are planted by the affected utility – in this case BPL – these linesmen utilize provided bucket trucks or climb the poles to rebuild the infrastructure including the installation of line hardware and string, connect and terminate wire.

With the right equipment and enough skilled labour, we expect to have the poles erected in South Abaco within two weeks or so, and the infrastructure should be repaired and ready to be energized within 30 – 45 days.

Release: BPL