THE Guyana Power and Light (GPL) will, for the first time in history, be undertaking a mega project to improve electricity transmission and distribution by integrating all its operating systems in Demerara and Berbice into one network.

The Guyana Government has been given a US$39.6M boost from the Chinese Exim Bank that will be invested by GPL in the interconnection initiative.

Efforts in this direction are already being realised with the construction of the power plant at Kingston which consists of three of the latest Wartsila engines. This station is expected to achieve commercial operations by the third quarter of this year.

With the new system in place, coupled with the use of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), the power company is expected to increase its generation capacity by 20 megawatts and substantially reduce the cost of operations at the same time.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GPL Mr. Bharrat Dindyal said after the new station becomes operational, the services of the old plant, which is responsible for the 50 hertz distribution for Georgetown, will be discontinued.

The Kingston plant coupled with another new facility to be constructed in South Georgetown will allow the power company to standardise the frequency in Georgetown and simultaneously offload large feeders supplying the eastern section of Georgetown.

On the East Coast of Demerara which has seen a substantial population growth over the last 30 years, GPL proposes to add two new substations, one at the lower part of the coast and the other in Mahaica.

The Kingston Plant will be interconnected to the 69 Kilovolt (KV) substation at Sophia using transmission lines that will run via the Lamaha railway embankment. The plant will also be interconnected to its substations in Vreed-en-Hoop and Edinburgh in West Demerara.

Dindyal said the Edinburgh station will be equipped to deliver a better supply of electricity of a better quality.

The interconnection drive in Berbice, Region Six involves integrating the power link from Skeldon to the Number 53 substation on the Corentyne coast which, when completed, will link Number 53 to the Onverwagt station on the West Coast Berbice and from Onverwagt to the Sophia substation which, by this time, will already be interconnected to substations in Kingston and West Demerara.

Dindyal disclosed that GPL also proposes to construct a new substation at Diamond, which is a rapidly developing village on the East Bank of Demerara.

Additionally, the company intends to construct a state-of-the-art control centre which will be located on a new plot of land that has been acquired from Government at Sophia.

The centre will allow GPL to effectively manage the entire system in Berbice and Demerara, as well as the interconnection of the hydropower that is proposed for construction at Amaila falls. (GINA)