Berbice. The frequent power outages across Berbice are as a result of maintenance work on two transmission lines and a transformer and normalcy to supply will to be restored by month-end, Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) Regional Manager Ayube Bacchus said.
Speaking on the issue, Bacchus stated that the outages which last for brief periods over the past three weeks saw the removal of transmission lines L-1 and L-2 from the network, while major work is ongoing on a main transformer at the Canefield plant. In the meantime, a temporary method used to power the grid would encounter trips, resulting in outages.
“With those two lines out, we can only transfer power to Corentyne area via the F-3 feeder… now that is not a transmission line feeder, but we using it to transmit power at the same time, and there are times we encounter thermal problems… its absolutely necessary that we have to service these two lines,” Bacchus said.
While major maintenance is being conducted on the transmission lines, a Trinidadian technician is also rectifying minor issues that have surfaced with the transformer, and helping to advise on maintenance methods. The two transmission lines connect Canefield with the Skeldon co-generation plant and Onverwagt on the West Coast of Berbice. With the absence of the two lines, the movement of power is hindered as it is transported sluggishly across the existing network.
The effects of this hindrance are that areas farther away from Canefield would have to wait longer for power, while consumers closest to the plants suffer shorter blackout spells after an outage.
“You find that people in the Corriverton are the last to get power… because as we go down, it becomes very difficult… our consumers down at Molson Creek and around Number 76 and Number 53 areas, it would take maybe about a hour-and- a-half to get power back to them, but New Amsterdam and going up, the Corentyne is a shorter period.”
According to Bacchus, normalcy to power supply is expected in about three weeks when the lines are re-commissioned. The lines were maintained last year, and the workers are clearing vegetation, inspecting connection between jumpers and pole maintenance. Bacchus disclosed that the volume of work is huge and the outages are unavoidable. He also added that the power company has planned ahead to cope with the demand for the festive season in the latter part of the year.
“We’re looking at the Christmas period because half of the year already finished, and we want to get that out of the way, and we don’t want to be caught up in maintenance November/December… we taking up this period of time, because schools are on vacation, so we planned it this way.” He also noted that weather conditions play a major part in the timely completion of the project.
In and around New Amsterdam, outages usually occur in the morning with power being restored within 15 to 20 minutes, while areas further along the Corentyne coast would have to wait longer in light of the situation.
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