50% Of NP Without Power Thursday, Energy Minister Says

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Last night’s major power outage left nearly half of Nassau in the dark, according to Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis. This comes as power struggles across the country took center stage this week, with residents on multiple islands protesting unreliable and costly electricity services.

Speaking on the sidelines of a national development plan workshop this morning, the energy minister and opposition leader addressed the overnight blackout and growing concerns over the nation’s energy supplies.

Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis addressed last night’s blackout on New Providence, hours after Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) reported that power was fully restored just before 4 a.m. on Friday. The power company apologized to customers in a statement, calling the event unpredictable, and noted that the island had not experienced any major system disturbance in over a year.

However, the power struggles aren’t limited to the capital. Earlier this week, frustrated Harbour Island residents protested in the streets over their own unreliable power supply. Similar protests also occurred in Grand Bahama. Opposition Leader Michael Pintard called the constant outages unacceptable and a potential health hazard.

The energy minister says this situation exemplifies the need for reforms.