Introduction to Bahamas Grid Company’s Upgrade Initiative

NASSAU, The Bahamas, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) announced today that BGC will begin work this week on its $130 million upgrade of the grid system on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas, as well as take over responsibility for the island’s long-term maintenance of all poles, wires and substations. Structured as a market-leading public-private partnership, the transaction that created BGC has allowed for the significant infusion of capital and grid expertise into the nation’s most populous island, where the rate of electricity demand growth has been unprecedented over the past few decades.

Upgrading the Grid System

“This is a very exciting time for The Bahamas,” said J. Eric Pike, Chairman of the Board at BGC. “We’ll be upgrading and storm-hardening 32 miles of transmission lines and load balancing across the eastern half of the island to provide more reliable and stable power to all residents and businesses in New Providence. The new lines will also be able to carry more power, so there will be much less energy lost as power is carried long distances across the island.”

Benefits of the Upgrade

BGC’s upgrade activities for the grid will result in a more affordable, reliable and resilient energy system overall. However, the benefits do not end there.

“Because we’ll soon be managing and coordinating all grid activity on New Providence, BGC will be able to do the vast majority of its work on energized lines. That means that New Providence’s electricity customers will no longer experience as many planned outages even while the work is happening,” said Pike.

Training Opportunities

In addition, the ability to work on energized lines will be one of several training opportunities offered by BGC to new employees.

“Working on the electrical grid is such a rewarding career because its uninterrupted service is what keeps every home, school and business running,” said Mei Shibata, a Board Director at BGC. “BGC welcomes the opportunity to train BPL transmission, substation and distribution employees looking to give energized work a try, as well as all young Bahamians wanting to join BGC to do meaningful hands-on work through their careers and grow with the company,” she said.

Staying Updated and Job Opportunities

BGC will be providing project updates on its Instagram and Facebook pages, and posting job opportunities on its LinkedIn page.

About Bahamas Grid Company and Island Grid

About Us
Bahamas Grid Company (BGC), established in 2025 through a public-private partnership, is a wires company that operates and manages the transmission and distribution system (T&D System) – i.e., the poles, wires and substations that distribute power – across the island of New Providence in The Bahamas.

Island Grid is a grid solutions developer and provider with a combined 60+ years of experience in energy strategy, grid engineering, construction, maintenance and storm-hardening experience. Island Grid is providing BGC with management and systems expertise, employee training and community engagement in this initiative.

Conclusion

The Bahamas Grid Company’s upgrade initiative is a significant step towards providing a more reliable and resilient energy system for the island of New Providence. With the infusion of capital and grid expertise, BGC is well-positioned to meet the growing demand for electricity on the island. The company’s commitment to training and community engagement will also provide opportunities for young Bahamians to develop meaningful careers in the energy sector.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the scope of the grid upgrade project?

A: The project involves upgrading and storm-hardening 32 miles of transmission lines and load balancing across the eastern half of the island of New Providence.

Q: How will the upgrade benefit electricity customers?

A: The upgrade will result in a more affordable, reliable and resilient energy system, with fewer planned outages and less energy lost during transmission.

Q: What training opportunities will be available to new employees?

A: BGC will offer training opportunities for new employees to work on energized lines, as well as other areas of the grid system.