CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of Guyana Power & Light Inc. (GPL), Mr. Bharat Dindyal revealed, last Friday, that the utility was implementing a $42M infrastructural developmental project.

It is the first time that money was being made available for technical loss reduction but, unfortunately, has been cut, he told the media during a tour of the Sophia, Greater Georgetown complex.
Dindyal said the current management took over the operations of GPL in 2003 and, in 2004, re-started the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP) which cost about US$32M.
He explained that GPL completed infrastructural works to power almost 25,000 customers in two phases. However, from 2004 to 2009, with the addition of more customers demanding electricity, they incurred technical losses.
Dindyal related that, in 2006, having finished the first phase of the UAEP, Government said they wanted to move forward with the country’s poverty reduction strategy and added 22,000 more customers, costing $1.44 billion, in 2008.
He said GPL entered into an agreement with Wartsila for the construction of the 20.7 megawatts plant, at Kingston, in the city, too, after signing off, in 2007, on a loan agreement with the Government and acquired, just below US$32M from Petrocaribe.
Dindyal said GPL also ran transmission lines from Kingston to Sophia, extended others in Berbice from Number 53 Village to Skeldon, both at Corentyne and started the upgrade of conversion at Canefield Power Station, Canje, in Berbice, as well.
He said the Kingston Plant was commissioned in 2010 and they got a further $18M from Government to spend on expanding it to 3.6 megawatts.

RECORD HIGH
Dindyal recalled that, in 2008, when fuel prices reached a record high, Parliament approved a $3.7 billion support subsidy and GPL utilised $3.2 billion of it.
The CEO said, in 2010, they commenced the infrastructural development project, with US$39.6M which came from the China Exim Bank but that sum was reduced to G$5.2 billion.
With that money they had intended to build seven new sub-stations, modify three new ones, put in a 351 kilometres fibre-optic network and construct a new control centre with modern systems controls, he said.
Dindyal stated that, in 2012, Parliament gave approval for $6 billion, intended as a subsidy for GPL and $4.2 billion went to fuel and the remainder for capital works.
He said GPL’s accounts for 2012 have just been audited and its annual report is now being compiled in preparation for presentation to Parliament.
Dindyal said, in 2013, they went to Parliament seeking $1 billion for operational support following last year’s  approval of $6 billion.
He observed that, prior to 1999 when GPL came into being, in 1993 the current Government assumed office when the then Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC) was in a terrible financial state, but managed to commission the first Wartsila Plant with 11 megawatts that was established in six months.
Dindyal said, in 1994, GPL started construction of the  11- megawatt plant at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara and that was ready in 1995. Then, in 1996, they started to construct the 22-megawatt plant in Kingston which was converted to 60 hertz.
Between 1993 and 1997, GPL spent US$11M, which was provided by Government, for the plants at Garden of Eden and Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, of which $3.2M was paid for the latter and $17M for the Wartsila Kingston Plant.
Dindyal said, between 1993 and 1997, GPL expended US$42M of which $14.2M was from Government and, in 2004 and 2013, they can account for $37.9 billion.