Bahamas Grid Company Reports Major Progress in $130 Million Grid Upgrade

Six months after launching its Foundational Grid Upgrade Project, the Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) has released its first comprehensive Progress Metrics Report, detailing significant improvements to the transmission and distribution systems serving New Providence.

According to BGC, the $130 million initiative is running 28% ahead of schedule and is already yielding results, with outages sharply declining and service quality improving for thousands of customers.

Infrastructure Upgrades Ahead of Schedule

So far, BGC has installed 144 new steel poles to replace aging wooden structures, providing Category 5 hurricane-grade resilience. Crews have also reconductored more than 153,000 feet of transmission cable with larger wire to support future load growth, and more than 42,000 feet of distribution cable to address system vulnerabilities and meet growing demand.

Construction is underway on three new substations designed to improve system protection and allow power to be rerouted to prevent large-scale outages.

Smart Technology Deployment Reducing Outages

The company reports that new grid technologies are already improving reliability. Forty-seven IntelliRupters have been installed on high-risk feeders to reduce both the number and duration of outages. More than 137,000 feet of optical ground wire (OPGW) fiber cable has been replaced to support remote operations and the integration of advanced grid controls.

BGC is also rolling out an integrated Work Management System to track upgrades, monitor customer connections, and manage real-time outage response—the first system of its kind in The Bahamas.

Customers Seeing Noticeable Benefits

BGC says the upgrades are directly benefiting homes and businesses across New Providence. Approximately 49,000 homes in historically outage-prone areas are experiencing far fewer service interruptions, while 16,000 homes have benefited from load balancing that improves power quality and protects appliances.

Proactive patrols and maintenance on 70 circuit miles of high-risk areas are helping mitigate potential storm damage, and customers downstream of IntelliRupters have seen an 86% reduction in outages.

Six months into implementation, BGC’s Foundational Grid Upgrade Project is already delivering measurable reliability improvements and setting the stage for a more resilient and sustainable energy system for New Providence.