Residents at Mahdia, Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni)  will soon be benefitting from cheaper electricity with the recent completion of the $150M Unserved Areas Electricity grid in the mining community. A spokesman for the Unserved Areas Electricity Programme (UAEP) said that operation of the two-megawatt system is currently awaiting completion of acceptable wiring standards by residents, so that operators could carry out a load test before the system is put into full operation. He explained that the UAEP  was hoping to provide power by February month end, but found that many residents had not completed the  level of wiring  in their homes necessary for them to get a meter. Regional Chairman of Region Eight, Senor Bell, has said that residents were willing to get certified wiring but this process was being slowed down by  the paucity of qualified electricians in the area. “We only have two guys  working and we have 400 buildings
to wire and  at least 200 homes would have to be properly wired for the  generators  to be put on a load test.” He said that to date  about 150 persons were ready
And that the process was ongoing, but not likely to finish before the Mashramani celebrations. Residents  and business places at Mahdia have in the past been receiving electricity from a businessman in the community. The operation of the new grid is being looked forward to since it will result in cheaper electricity rates than those from the private source.