Government has expended US$7.1 million towards the expansion of the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL’s) grid to unserved areas of existing and new housing communities in Linden, Timehri, East Berbice, Bartica, East and West Coast Demerara, West Bank Demerara, Essequibo and Georgetown.
Through the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP) access to electricity was provided to 24,516 households, according to a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA).
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who oversees the operation of various utilities, has said that such expansion in the context of Guyana’s electricity needs is small, considering that a grid in Berbice and Demerara would be required to produce 90MW (megawatts), based on the demand of a totally integrated grid.
By comparison, GINA noted, in Barbados the grid consists of 400 MW, while significantly more is needed to sustain the requirements of more developed countries.
Meanwhile, referring to the Wartsila Power Plant at Kingston, the Prime Minister said that the system has exceeded the availability guarantee of 92%, producing an availability of 95.23%. This level of generation will be supported through the US$34.6 million Chinese Infrastructure Development Project whereby seven new substations and 110km of transmission lines will be constructed, the release stated.
He further indicated that the government will undertake projects prioritizing sustainable, feasible, and environmentally friendly methods of electricity supply for hinterland communities. This includes the development of a mini-hydropower facility on the Chiung River at Kato, Region Eight, and government is currently pursuing funding for the commencement of this project in 2011.
GINA said also that there will be installation of new generation capacity at Orealla, Siparuta, St Cuthbert’s Mission, Mahdia, Port Kaituma, and Moraikobai and the construction of a mini-grid, transmission and distribution system in each of these communities.
Prior to installation, these communities have been using kerosene lamps and small generating sets for lighting purposes, GINA noted.
In the meantime, as commercial activity grows in the South Rupununi upgrades are underway on the network system at Lethem, moving it transitionally from an installation used primarily to provide lights to government areas to a mini-utility with all functions and requirements of a formal GPL power station.
