The Guyana Power and Light Inc. is currently finding it a challenge to provide the required generation during peak demand and it is attributing this development to “unforeseen occurrences and generation/operational issues.”
In fact, the power company has advised that it is currently faced with a deficit of approximately 23 MW which will result in customers in Demerara and Berbice being faced with periods of service disruptions.
To keep customers abreast of these planned disruptions, GPL has said that it will disseminate advisories.
In an attempt to explain a series of recent blackouts, GPL said that on Tuesday (September 3), while a contactor was carrying out work on the Sheriff/Mandela Road Expansion project, one of its poles with two transformers was up-rooted in the vicinity of the Rubis Gas Station on Mandela Avenue.
This, the power company said, resulted in a service interruption to a number of communities in South Georgetown, Queenstown and Lacytown.
Even as it committed to reliable electricity supply to customers, GPL reminded that caution must be exercised when conducting works in close proximity to its infrastructure.
But this is not the only challenge currently facing the power company. According to GPL, “Our company is currently experiencing a shortfall in generation in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).
This has translated to a defective transformer at our Onverwagt, Berbice Substation and thus the power company is unable to export 6.9 MW of power to the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System. Additionally, a 5.5 MW generator at the Canefield Power Plant is unavailable because of scheduled maintenance.”
At the Kingston Power Plant, the power company made it clear that a 6.9 MW unit is unavailable due to a defective alternator, which had to be sourced overseas. However GPL has given assurance that the alternator has arrived, and repairs are expected to be completed by the end of the week.
Once this is completed it is expected that the unit will return to operation by Monday (September 9, 2019).
Meanwhile, at the Garden-of-Eden power station, a 4MW is unavailable as, according to GPL, “we are awaiting the arrival of replacement parts for the defective components.”
In order to counter the several prevailing challenges, GPL said that “Our company is aggressively injecting efforts to ensure all units are returned to operation in the shortest possible time.
