Freeport, Grand Bahama – The Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC), as part of its Transmission and Distribution (T&D) infrastructure investments, has launched a preventative maintenance program in communities across the Island.

In 2011, GBPC put forward a three point plan to address system reliability, generation efficiency and the need to incorporate renewable generation into its energy portfolio. Key to service reliability is a robust, well-maintained T&D system, and preventative maintenance is critical to ensuring that connections and equipment are properly maintained and operating at optimal levels across the T&D system. The program focuses on specific areas with a history of power-related issues and also encompasses regular testing and maintenance of key pieces of equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, batteries and switches.

Recently, the communities of Ariel Place and Holmes Rock were two such areas that benefitted from the preventative maintenance program. GBPC crews spent over a week working diligently on trimming trees, changing out transformers and hardware, fixing connections and facilitating major infrastructure upgrades and equipment replacements. As a result, residents may now expect a reduction in interruptions of service and improvement in the quality of the service.

To date, GBPC has has made substantial investments in finances, resources and training to improve the reliability of the Company’s transmission and distribution system, resulting in a 51% improvement in both the frequency and duration of power outages.