THE first batch of Solar Home Systems destined for hinterland communities arrived in the country last week and officials plan to install this lot in at least 36 villages before the end of November.

Chief Executive Officer of the Hinterland Electrification Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr. Horace Williams disclosed yesterday that one thousand of the ordered eleven thousand systems are now in the country.

They cannot however be immediately installed because some accessories are yet to be received.

In hand, he said are the solar panels batteries and charge controllers.

Other items such as the bulbs and lightning arrestors are due this week and installations will commence immediately after.

The villages which are to benefit from this initial
“pilot” effort as part of the wider Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) are communities in the Administrative Regions of Region 1 (Barima/Waini), Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni) and Region 9 (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu).

Ten thousand other Solar Home Systems are expected to arrive within the next few weeks to complete the order.

These are expected to be installed in December and early 2012.
The LCDS project will install solar home systems in 11,000 Amerindian households for about 188 Amerindian communities that remain un-served.
The programme is being executed by the Project Management Office, Office of the President, acting as Coordinator, with the Office of the Prime Minister responsible for procurement and monitoring activities with support from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

It covers all components of the solar system, including installation costs, transportation, wiring, light fittings, maintenance and management training.
Some 390 persons have received training in installation and maintenance of the systems and Williams said that these are the persons who will be doing the installations, under the supervision of his Unit, as they arrive.
Each village council will thereafter be responsible for the management and maintenance of their systems and residents in each village will pay a monthly contribution to a fund managed by the village council for maintenance services.
President Bharrat Jagdeo first announced the solar panel project for electrification of hinterland communities at the launch of Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations last September.

He noted then, that the majority of hinterland households, which includes 80 percent of the Amerindian population, were without access to basic electricity.

He stressed that the LCDS Hinterland Electrification Programme was intended to rectify this long-pervading unfairness by providing access to clean and renewable energy in 11,000 targeted Amerindian households for about 188 Amerindian communities that were without.