JAMAICAN Albert Gordon has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) company with effect from Thursday.

The utility company in a brief statement said Gordon brings to the table many years of experience, having served at senior levels at the Jamaica Public Service Company, that country’s electricity supplier.

Gordon, who holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration, also served as president of the Jamaica water authority.

The appointment came at a time when GPL Chairman Robert Badal is moving on from the utility company.

“Let me take this opportunity to announce that my tenure as chairman of GPL has come to an end as I need every day of my time to focus on my companies’ expansion plans. I am now awaiting the appointment of a new board by the minister of infrastructure to execute a smooth hand-over,” Badal said in the statement.

He had said that the power company is in a stronger financial position now than at the time he assumed the chairmanship over two years ago.

He noted that over the past two years the company had added more than G$8B in free cash flows through prudent management, better inventory control and scheduling of procurement, even after extending a 20 per cent reduction in electricity rates.

Additionally, Badal had said GPL has repaid the Government $1B in interest last year, the first time the company has been able to do so.

Government has allocated $2B in this year’s budget to the power company to improve the quality and efficiency of its electricity distribution network.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had said the Government will be examining the feasibility of using natural gas as a more affordable and cleaner energy source until such time Guyana is able to move to 100 per cent renewable energy.

GPL has already invited expressions of interest for the installation of a 50MW capacity natural gas-fired plant.

Similarly, Badal had noted that GPL’s focus this year is to complete the Public Utility Upgrade Programme (PUUP) and execute the IDP 2, build generation capacity through private sector partnerships, intensify the reduction of losses, and improve operational efficiency and productivity.

That aside, he said customer service has been found wanting, given the plethora of complaints but believes that with the hiring of a new director of customer service months ago, improvements will be made.

“Strong leadership which a substantive CEO would bring should propel us to achieve these goals,” he had said.