IN embracing the Government of Guyana’s vision for a ‘Green state’, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has commenced the establishment of a specialized technical and commercial framework which will accept energy from renewable resources into its own distribution network.

This commercial framework features the introduction of a tariff which calculates the credit to the customer for the excess energy being supplied to the grid from the customer’s solar energy system. Therefore, customers can be assured that when they allow their systems to be interconnected to this system- they will benefit also.

Nonetheless, the GPL has underscored certain prerequisites for customers desirous of establishing an interconnection agreement with the power company.
In an advertisement in the daily newspapers, GPL explained that customers must formally submit a request for the interconnection of electricity from their solar installations to GPL’s network. This request must be submitted at the company’s Main Street, Georgetown, office.

The prerequisites also require that the customers’ Photovoltaic (PV) or solar installations must comply with National Electric Code (NEC) Article 690 which applies to photovoltaic (PV) electrical energy systems, array circuit(s), inverter(s), and charge controller(s) for PV systems and must be certified by the Government Electrical Inspectorate (G.E.I).

Minimally also, all intended grid-tie installations must conform with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 1547 (which is the standard for interconnecting distributed resources with electric power systems) or the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1741 Standards- which is the standard for inverters, converters, controllers and interconnection system equipment for use with distributed energy resources). Similarly, these grid-tie installations must be certified by the G.E.I.

Additionally, GPL has highlighted that it will conduct an interconnection evaluation to ensure that the prospective customers are safely integrated with the company’s distribution network. The power company stated that this is a precautionary method to safeguard from non-compliant connections to the distribution network that may cause technical, safety and/or security issues to arise.

GPL warned however, that it is illegal and unsafe to establish unauthorized interconnections to its distributed network as it can be hazardous to all. These unauthorized connections may also result in the destabilization of the electrical supply in the area.