The # 1 Diesel Generator of the Skeldon Power co-generation Power Plant has been re-furbished and has recommenced supplying a much needed five megawatts of electricity into the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) interconnected grid in East Berbice.Member of the Board of Directors of Skeldon Electricity Inc (SEI) and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in Region 6, Gobin Harbhajan told Chronicle that handing over and taking over of the re-commissioned #1 generator took place at a brief ceremony at Skeldon on Tuesday.

Diesel generators #2 and #3 of the Skeldon Power Plant are undergoing a similar refurbishment at an overall cost of US$5.5M.
These two remaining generators are expected to be fully operational by the end of this month, thereby bringing 10 Megawatts of electricity generating capacity on stream for the benefit of domestic and commercial consumers in East Berbice.
Those present at the simple formality for the #1 generating set included Harbhajan, Eldon Watson Plant Manager, Brian Goodridge Contract Manager Wartsila, Bansod Wartsila Project Manager from India, Candacie Warren of the Regional Education Department of Region 6 and Mohindra Persaud, Chief Executive Officer of Nand Persaud Company Limited, Tain, Region 6.
Harbhajan said he could not help being very critical of the previous administration which had allowed the engines installed by Wartsila only in 2008 to fall into a state of disrepair and deterioration in which the new Board found them.
In an invited comment, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEI Lloyd Rose said the refurbished diesel generators will provide the GPL with a sizable component of 7.5 MW of stable and reliable electricity needed by the people of Region 6.
Persaud said he considered the resuscitation of the # 1 generating set at the Skeldon Plant a development which will be welcomed by all long suffering consumers of electricity in East Berbice.
The CEO of the rice processing giant in Region 6  said that the coming on stream of the remaining two before  month-end  will also provide the much desired back up power also known as  redundancy  if ever needed.

By Clifford Stanley