GUYANA Power and Light (GPL) explained yesterday that its system suffered a total shutdown on Thursday night.

The utility company said, around 22:32 hrs, one of the two transmission lines, between Sophia, Greater Georgetown and Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara, tripped, resulting in a blackout within the Demerara Interconnected System (DIS).
A press statement said, due to the time this occurred, it was not possible to undertake a detailed inspection of the transmission line to determine the reason for the trip.
“An inspection is, currently, in progress, focusing on the section of the line traversing the backlands of Garden of Eden and Friendship, where the line protection calculated the fault may exist,” the release said.
GPL said the DIS was incrementally restored with all circuits repowered by 00:28 hrs, yesterday morning.
Unfortunately, power supply to consumers on the East Coast Demerara between Industry and Success was further affected by a burnt connection on a switch at Industry.
That connection was found at 01:15 hrs, repairs were completed and current was restored at 01:51hrs, GPL reported.
GPL revealed, too, that, on May 14, an unknown incident resulted in damages to four parts of a circuit supplying sections of Kingston, Cummingsburg and Werk-en-Rust. Repairs were completed by 19:28 hrs and power returned to all consumers.
The release said, in undertaking the repairs, the supply to consumers in other sections of Kingston, Cummingsburg and Werk-en-Rust had to be interrupted and investigations are ongoing into what may have precipitated the damage to the circuit.
GPL said it will undertake an upgrade to a section of the circuit this Sunday to reduce the impact any such future fault may have.

Sincerest apologies

Meantime, it extends sincerest apologies for the occurrences over the last two days and thanks customers for their patience.
“As our company progresses with its development agenda for 2014, it should be noted that power interruptions may occur as supply source for feeders are switched.
“We are pleased to announce that the supply for most of our consumers in South Georgetown has been switched to our new substation in North Ruimveldt. Further, we are currently preparing to commission our new substation at Columbia (Mahaicony) and the power supply for all consumers between Burma Road and Victoria will be switched to this substation,” GPL said.