Grand Bahama Residents Outraged Over High Power Bills

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GRAND BAHAMA – Grand Bahama residents are outraged this week after waking up to electricity bills they say don’t add up. Many took to social media to vent, calling the Grand Bahama Power Company “heartless.”

One resident posted: “Grand Bahama Power…you really need to do better. You shouldn’t be doing your customers like this…this is robbery. Sad.” Another wrote: “That’s two bills in one.”

Dozens of similar posts flooded Facebook and WhatsApp Thursday morning as residents described the bills as “unfair” and accused the company of targeting customers already struggling with the high cost of living. Many questioned how bills could double when usage hadn’t changed, while others called for a full investigation and public answers.

Roberto Taylor, a Grand Bahama resident, said his bill increased by as much as $100.

ROBERTO TAYLOR – GB RESIDENT
“For Eddie Munrow, what the company is doing is unconscionable. It’s disheartening, and I’m wondering when it will stop.”

Michael Thurston added that the bills simply aren’t feasible.

West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Kingsley Smith also spoke out, saying he is “utterly bewildered and infuriated” by the spike in bills. Smith claims he’s heard the same complaints repeatedly: “The math isn’t mathing.” Even after being away for two weeks with minimal electricity use, his bill nearly doubled.

Smith criticized explanations from the power company as “inadequate,” noting that while GBPC’s fuel surcharge has risen, there hasn’t been a corresponding jump in oil prices.

The Grand Bahama Power Company responded in a statement, explaining that the August fuel charge increased from 18.84 cents per kilowatt-hour in July to 23.53 cents due to greater reliance on diesel-powered generation. They emphasized that they do not profit from the fuel charge, which reflects only the cost of fuel used to generate electricity and is passed directly to customers.

GBPC said it understands the strain higher bills can cause, especially during the summer months, and is working to improve efficiency while transitioning toward more affordable energy.