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Dindyal laments GPL losses to NDCs, electricity theft
GUYANA Power & Light (GPL) Chief Executive Officer Bharat Dindyal disclosed yesterday that street lamps, which were installed by Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) countrywide, are costing the utility $19M monthly.
The service is unpaid for and the local authorities owe GPL in excess of $200M for it, he said.
Mr. Dindyal explained that, GPL commissioned an audit in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara); Four (Demerara/Mahaica) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), which reported that more than 4,000 lamps were put in GPL’s network.
He said even contractors and employees as well as private citizens are installing street lamps at a cost of $10,000 to $15,000 each.
Dindyal said a decision was taken to write to the NDCs in an effort to address the issue.
He noted that an NDC on East Coast Demerara has added over 500 lamps to the GPL network and the supplier will soon include the Ministry of Local Government in discussions to come to some sort of resolution.
Dindyal said, recently, GPL ventured into an East Coast Demerara village to remove street lamps from its utility poles and residents confronted the employees and even attacked them and the corporation does not want such situations recurring in the future.
He pointed out that it is illegal for the NDCs or anyone to install street lamps in GPL’s system and such persons will be prosecuted.
Dindyal said street lamps are of the mercury vapour type which remain lit all day and night and contribute to loss suffered by the electricity entity.
He advised those desirous of installing street lamps to first consult with GPL and use the 65 watts compact fluorescent ones, which are energy efficient, as compared to the mercury vapour which are 175 to 200 watts.
Dindyal announced that GPL will embark on a vigorous community outreach programme to enlighten customers on current issues, such as electricity theft as well as developments in the sector.
He said the utility decided to take that step as it believes that will impact their loss reduction and, as such, has commenced a social management programme aimed at building partnerships with customers.
Dindyal said that GPL plans to implement a public education programme in which communities countrywide will be visited in an effort to sensitise customers on the use of energy saving lamps, bulbs, appliances and other conservation methods, electricity theft and its dangers.
He said, up to 2010, GPL was running at a loss of 31.3 per cent and, in 2011, having met with some resistance, it was difficult to reduce losses.
Dindyal said, for instance, in an unserved area, Vryheid, New Amsterdam, Berbice, it was found that electricity theft is widespread and GPL is suffering a huge loss because there are pockets of communities engaged in the practice as well as tampering with meters.
He stated that GPL’s position on loss reduction is that it is losing twice the power presently being sold to customers.
GUYANA Power & Light (GPL) Chief Executive Officer Bharat Dindyal disclosed yesterday that street lamps, which were installed by Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) countrywide, are costing the utility $19M monthly.
The service is unpaid for and the local authorities owe GPL in excess of $200M for it, he said.Mr. Dindyal explained that, GPL commissioned an audit in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara); Four (Demerara/Mahaica) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), which reported that more than 4,000 lamps were put in GPL’s network.
He said even contractors and employees as well as private citizens are installing street lamps at a cost of $10,000 to $15,000 each.
Dindyal said a decision was taken to write to the NDCs in an effort to address the issue.
He noted that an NDC on East Coast Demerara has added over 500 lamps to the GPL network and the supplier will soon include the Ministry of Local Government in discussions to come to some sort of resolution.
Dindyal said, recently, GPL ventured into an East Coast Demerara village to remove street lamps from its utility poles and residents confronted the employees and even attacked them and the corporation does not want such situations recurring in the future.
He pointed out that it is illegal for the NDCs or anyone to install street lamps in GPL’s system and such persons will be prosecuted.
Dindyal said street lamps are of the mercury vapour type which remain lit all day and night and contribute to loss suffered by the electricity entity.
He advised those desirous of installing street lamps to first consult with GPL and use the 65 watts compact fluorescent ones, which are energy efficient, as compared to the mercury vapour which are 175 to 200 watts.
Dindyal announced that GPL will embark on a vigorous community outreach programme to enlighten customers on current issues, such as electricity theft as well as developments in the sector.
He said the utility decided to take that step as it believes that will impact their loss reduction and, as such, has commenced a social management programme aimed at building partnerships with customers.
Dindyal said that GPL plans to implement a public education programme in which communities countrywide will be visited in an effort to sensitise customers on the use of energy saving lamps, bulbs, appliances and other conservation methods, electricity theft and its dangers.
He said, up to 2010, GPL was running at a loss of 31.3 per cent and, in 2011, having met with some resistance, it was difficult to reduce losses.
Dindyal said, for instance, in an unserved area, Vryheid, New Amsterdam, Berbice, it was found that electricity theft is widespread and GPL is suffering a huge loss because there are pockets of communities engaged in the practice as well as tampering with meters.
He stated that GPL’s position on loss reduction is that it is losing twice the power presently being sold to customers.
