The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) says it has restored power to several sections of the country affected by Thursday night’s rain and lightning storm.
In a press release the company said the storm caused some minor damage to its primary networks in Demerara and Berbice and it caused a power outage on a section of the East Bank. GPL said lightning split a 50-foot transmission pole in the Diamond Housing Scheme which disabled the feeder powering a section of the EBD. The pole was isolated around 6 am yesterday morning and the affected areas were re-powered. Diamond, however, remained de-energised until mid morning when the pole and pole-top components were replaced.
The company said too overnight floodwaters threatened to inundate the Garden of Eden power station but quick action by technicians averted any flooding. The Onverwagt Station in West Berbice, on the other hand, did not escape the floodwaters as by 11.30 pm it was inundated and engineers were forced to shut down the generators. The engineers began repowering the station at around 9 am yesterday and by midday several sections of the area had been receiving power. Four poles at Belladrum also had to be replaced and power was expected to be restored to the section between that area and Catherine during the afternoon hours.
GPL said across the Berbice River power supply to villages between Number 54 and Moleson Creek was interrupted overnight after lightning struck and broke a primary pole in Number 58 Village. The pole was replaced early yesterday morning. The company said customers outside the aforementioned areas who experienced power disruptions overnight should report it to the nearest GPL T&D outpost.
In the meantime GPL is reminding members of the public to avoid touching any electrical outlet, plug or cord if any part of their body is wet or if the surface they stand on is wet or waterlogged. Persons should not unplug refrigerators while standing in water though they should make every effort to raise electric appliances off the floor and out of the reach of floodwater.
GPL also strongly advises the public not to use any electrical appliance or outlet/socket that is/was wet, until it has been serviced by a qualified technician. The company said it has published food and other safety tips in an advertisement in the printed press.
