…as GPL seeks solutions to electricity problems

THE damaged submarine cable linking the Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston power stations, hampered by two generators which are being repaired at the latter unit and the absence of an adequate back-up system, are the main causes of power problems in recent days in the city and its environs.

At the same time, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is working around the clock to cushion the effects of these factors with a number of interventions.

Also, the power company is engaging two local companies– Banks DIH Limited and Gift Land- to source additional power for the national grid, mainly for the peak time at evening hours.

GPL’s Chief Executive Officer, Albert Gordon, flanked by senior officials of the power company, told the media on Tuesday at a press briefing at the company’s Duke Street offices, that GPL recognizes the shortfalls and apologizes to the public.

At the moment, there is a shortfall of 10MW of power. “As of now, on the East Demerara side, we have about 90 megawatts of power available to us and we have to satisfy a demand of 100 megawatts, so there is a shortfall of about 10 megawatts. With that shortfall, we have introduced some load-shedding activities and we have the schedule being done on a daily basis,” said Bharat Harjohn, the company’s Divisional Director –Operations.

The power company sources power predominantly from the Vreed-en-Hoop substation which has a capacity to provide 26MW of power. Of this figure, 12MW is utilized in the West Demerara area while the additional 14MW is distributed on the East Demerara via Kingston.

As an immediate fix, Gordon said that GPL is working around the clock to fix one of the two generators at the Kingston Power Station; one has been down for scheduled maintenance while another needs a spare which is being sourced from overseas.

The power boss stated that within a week when the generator is fixed, it will be able to supply some 7.8MW of power to Kingston.

In addition, using a lower voltage cable, the company is hoping to source another 6MW of power from Vreed-en-Hoop to boost its capacity on the East Demerara. Gordon said too that two additional generators from Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast are also expected to be brought down to boost the power capacity here.

“We are really pushing to get things in place,” an optimistic Gordon related.
Another alternative the power company is pursuing is the sourcing of power from the two local companies. The two significant potential suppliers– Banks DIH and Giftland– use heavy fuel oil and have the capacity to boost the power grid, Gordon informed the media.

Banks DIH installed a 10MW to boost their operations and Gordon said discussions were held with the company to provide GPL with power. He said while the beverage giant were not too enthusiastic, the power company is still hopeful. He said the power from Banks DIH would be required mostly for the evening. That is also the case with power from Giftland and he added that there are legal constraints regarding the sourcing of power from the latter.

”There are some legal constraints which the government is assisting us to work through,” Gordon said regarding Gitland, noting that there is also a price issue to be ironed out.

The price paid for fuel by the two companies is higher than what GPL pays, nevertheless, Gordon said negotiations are ongoing and at this point, an arrangement has been reached with Giftland, subject to an agreement. “We do intend to inter-connect,” he said of the arrangement with the latter entity.

As regards fixing the submarine cable, the CEO said aside from ensuring the cable is fixed in the shortest time possible, the company has reached out to the contractor who laid the cable. He noted it would take a few weeks to rectify the problem there.

Ryan Ross, Divisional Director of Projects, said that the cable was expected to be raised from below the Demerara River yesterday, Wednesday, and he noted that divers have been exploring the cables length to determine the extremity of the problem.

He said that it would not be conclusive to cast blame on ships’ anchors for damaging the cable, but he noted that the channel is usually very busy and this may have been one of the contributing factors.

Meanwhile, GPL is working to curb electricity theft, another factor affecting its operations. Gordon said that losses have been reducing–30% to 28 % are the most recent figures– and he noted that in addition to small areas, there are larger customers who may be robbing the company of power.

“We are lining our metering systems with our transformers,” he said, noting that this measure can help the company identify where it is losing power.

The CEO said GPL is still in a process of restructuring, since the company’s current structure remains ineffective and inefficient, to ensure the company really moves forward.