These appointments follow the company’s recent transition to a fully independent, Bahamian-led operating model, including the conclusion of Island Grid Solutions’ management role and the appointment of new executive leadership.

Mr. Sawyer is a senior financial attorney with over 20 years of experience across corporate law, banking, and financial services. He brings deep expertise in regulatory strategy, risk management, and corporate governance.

Ms. Symonette is President and Director of Super Value Food Stores Limited and a Certified Public Accountant with over 25 years of financial leadership experience. She has held senior roles in accounting, audit, and corporate governance, and currently serves as a Director of Commonwealth Bank.

“With these appointments, BGC continues to strengthen its governance as we move forward as a fully Bahamian-led organization,” said Anthony Ferguson, Chairman of BGC. “Nikolai and Debra bring extensive legal, financial, and operational experience that will support the company’s long-term performance and accountability.”

“This is an important step in BGC’s continued evolution,” said Dareo McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer. “I look forward to working with the Board to drive long-term performance and reliability across the system.”

The company’s Board of Directors now comprises Anthony Ferguson (Chairman), Nikolai Sawyer, and Debra Symonette.

About Bahamas Grid Company

Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) is a utility company in New Providence responsible for upgrading, maintaining, and operating the island’s transmission and distribution infrastructure, with the goal of delivering reliable, resilient, and sustainable power to all residents and businesses.

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Significant Early Progress Across the Grid

Since breaking ground, BGC crews have installed or replaced 80 overhead distribution poles, upgraded 56,000 feet of wire, and load-balanced more than 20 circuit miles of the primary voltage system. To support growing demand and improve grid resiliency, 3,800 feet of underground cable has been laid and 18 new service connections have been added. These early upgrades are directly benefiting approximately 6,000 customers and represent vital steps toward storm-hardening the island’s energy network.

On the transmission side, the company has installed 105 new steel poles and pulled over 83,000 feet of high-capacity conductor. BGC teams have also delivered more than 1,100 hours of emergency response support to help stabilize the grid and address urgent service needs.

“This is about building a stronger, smarter energy grid for The Bahamas,” said J. Eric Pike, Chairman of the Board at BGC. “Every pole we set and every line we upgrade brings us closer to making reliable power the standard—not the exception.”

Smart Grid Technology Delivering Real Results

In parallel with the infrastructure upgrades, BGC is rolling out cutting-edge smart grid technology to increase automation and responsiveness across the island. To date, 47 IntelliRupter^® PulseCloser Fault Interrupters have been installed at strategic locations throughout New Providence. These devices detect and isolate faults in real time, dramatically reducing outage duration and scale.

Thanks to these installations, BGC has prevented 182 potential outages this year, which would have caused over 170,000 service interruptions among the 48,000 customers living along the affected circuits. In terms of percentages, the IntelliRupters have led to a 73% reduction in total outages and an 86% reduction in potential power interruptions for customers in 2025.

“We are implementing more than a standard grid upgrade—it’s a long-term investment in our communities,” said Mei Shibata, CEO at BGC. “We’re proactively building a system that has the ability to self-mitigate issues, so that every household and business in New Providence can count on consistent, dependable power.”

A Stronger Future for The Bahamas

The $130 million investment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform New Providence’s grid into a modern, resilient, and affordable energy system. BGC will continue to share regular updates on its progress and welcomes public engagement as the work continues.

Website: https://bahamasgrid.net/

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