The Minister of Energy and Transport the Hon. JoBeth Coleby-Davis said the islands of Staniel Cay, Bimini, Moore’s Island, Farmer’s Cay, San Salvador, Long Island, and Cat Island will join communities on New Providence, Eleuthera, Abaco and Exuma with utility scale renewable energy projects in the works.
The Energy Minister was speaking at the signing of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with two Bahamian partners, who will help to transform power generation across the Family Islands, at the Office of The Prime Minister on Sunday, June 1, 2025.
She explained that the Family Island Microgrid Company will develop the renewable energy solution on Harbour Island, Bimini, Staniel Cay, Black Point, Famer’s Cay, and Moore’s Island, while RenugenPro Company Limited will implement utility scale renewable energy on San Salvador, Long Island and Cat Island.
The Energy Minister said, “It is important to note that these islands have significant residential populations and are vital to our tourism economy. For example, Harbour Island would have seen a return to pre-COVID tourist numbers, faster than many of our other islands, and San Salvador is home to Club Med.
“And so, we are ensuring that reforms are inclusive and support comprehensive economic growth.”
She stressed that the Government has not forgotten about Inagua, Mayaguana, Crooked Island, Acklins, and Long Cay, as the Energy Ministry and Project Execution Unit, better known as the PEU, are actively reviewing possible options that are sustainable and feasible.
The Energy Minister said, “Additionally, I wish to also note that we have not forgotten about Andros and Great Harbour Cay, as PPAs for those two islands are under review.”
She explained that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that the successful implementation of the energy reforms could lift the real country’s Gross Domestic Product growth by 0.5 percentage points.
“I would have communicated on several occasions, the building of utility-scale renewable energy use in the Family Islands and New Providence, are two important priorities for the Davis administration, along with the modernization of the electricity grid and transmission and distribution network on New Providence, the transformation of energy generation through LNG implementation on New Providence, and the Equity Rate Adjustment initiative – better known as the ERA, which has been implemented by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).”
She said the observation by the IMF in its report, titled, “The Implications of the Electricity Sector Reform in The Bahamas,” is not only a significant validation of potential of the Davis administration’s energy transformation plans, but also confirmation that the administration has a concrete and measurable national energy strategy.
The Energy Minister said while work at the Ministry of Energy and Transport and BPL is ongoing, the bodies’ accomplishments include – the zero rating of the base rate for the first 200 kilowatt-hours of monthly residential electricity, which has assisted between over 60,000 Bahamian households in receiving monthly electricity bills under $150.00, the passage of the Electricity and Natural Gas Acts, and the finalization of the National Energy Policy which will be going for gazette shortly.
By Llonella Gilbert/Bahamas Information Services
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