Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) is attributing the blackouts and fluctuations in power experienced this past weekend to inclement weather conditions.
In a press release issued yesterday, the company sought to assure customers that the necessary maintenance works and improvements which it promised would take place in time to improve service for the holiday season had already taken place and said that the outages experienced recently are a result of bad weather.
Wherever power was interrupted though, the company said, “Technicians worked as quickly as possible to restore power.”
But some customers are complaining that they have been experiencing power outages and low voltage for more than a week, and that sometimes the power goes out several times daily.
A resident of Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara (ECD) told Stabroek News that the area has been having power outages about twice daily, and multiple times at nights for the last two weeks.
A resident of Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara (WBD) said that they have been getting blackouts about three to four times daily for about five or six days now.
She explained that the outages are usually for brief periods, although on one occasion it lasted all day into the evening period.
Another resident, from Festival City, North Ruimveldt, said, “I’ve had blackout every day for the past month and at times even as much as six times daily. It’s just awful.”
A man from Kitty said that his area sees a power outage at least twice daily. The real problem though, he explained, is the fact that “every fifteen minutes the current is either too low or high.
“My fridge done messed up,” he said.
Another resident says he already lost two refrigerators, and is worried he might lose another.
Meanwhile, GPL says that it may not always be aware of problems, and urged its customers to make use of its online and telephone services to report their grievances. “Please be patient and tolerant as we do everything in our power to make it a bright and merry Christmas for everyone,” it said.
