Bahamas Grid Company Reports Further Reliability Improvements as Foundational Grid Upgrade Project Nears Completion

NASSAU, The Bahamas, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) today announced significant improvements in grid reliability across New Providence as a result of its Foundational Grid Upgrade Project. 2025 yearend reliability data confirms that the ongoing $130 million upgrade initiative has already reduced outages, improved service quality, and delivered tangible benefits to customers as it targets completion in late April.

Reliability analysis comparing 2025 grid performance against historic data (2020–2024 average performance) has shown a very significant grid performance improvement on New Providence, spanning everyday reliability as well as resilience in the face of major weather events (i.e. tropical storms or stronger). Inclusive of major weather event days, 2025 saw an impressive 45% reduction in outage frequency (SAIFI) and a 35% reduction in outage duration (SAIDI). Everyday reliability improved even more, as 2025 saw a 47% reduction in outage frequency and a 46% reduction in outage duration when compared to previous years.

These gains reflect the impact of targeted infrastructure upgrades and the deployment of smart grid technologies introduced as part of the Foundational Grid Upgrade Project.

Specifically, since installation in late 2024, smart IntelliRupter devices have mitigated 47 breaker-level outages, preventing 25,827 customer interruptions, and the devices' automatic reclosing capability is estimated to have prevented an additional 185 outages, which could have resulted in 205,000 customer interruptions. Furthermore, customers directly downstream of IntelliRupters have experienced an 87.4% reduction in outage frequency.

Additional Metrics and Timing of the Foundational Grid Project

Since BGC's previous project update in the Fall of 2025, construction milestones continue to be met for the Foundational Grid Upgrade Project:

• 193 new steel poles have been installed, replacing aging wooden infrastructure and providing Category 5 hurricane-grade resilience.
• 260,000 feet of transmission cable has been reconductored with double-capacity wire to support future load growth and new generation.
• Three new substations are under construction, which will enable improved system protection, faster restoration, and the ability to reroute power to limit large-scale outages.
• 174,000 feet of OPGW fiber has been installed, expanding remote monitoring, protection schemes, and real-time grid control.

The Foundational Grid Upgrade Project remains within budget and on track for completion by the end of April 2026, which means that it is continuing to progress about 20% ahead of schedule.

Upon completion of this large-scale capital project, BGC 's local leadership and field teams will continue to operate and maintain New Providence's transmission and distribution systems. Ongoing maintenance will be important because enhanced power reliability can lead to long-term economic growth as a result of avoided outage costs and improved service continuity for homes and businesses.

Greater Reliability Will Lead to Long-Term Value for The Bahamas

In fact, BGC's economic impact analysis estimates that when the magnitude of the reliability improvements that we have seen in 2025 is sustained over the expected 30-year life of the grid assets, it would deliver up to $1 billion in net present value savings to the New Providence economy. This economic upside would be enabled by avoided outage costs and greater service continuity.

About Bahamas Grid Company

Bahamas Grid Company (BGC), established through a public-private partnership, is a wires company responsible for operating and managing 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.

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SOURCE Island Grid