In an effort to resolve the power woes facing the community of Port Kaituma, in the North West District, Region One, a local company is being engaged to supply the mechanical part to repair the damaged generator engine.
Head of the Hinterland Electrification Company Incorporated (HECI) Horace Williams told Stabroek News yesterday that through their contractor, Power Producers and Distributors Inc (PDDI), Engineering and Construction Inc (ECI) has reached out and provided quotations on the spare part needed for the repairs.
He said that technicians from PPDI are expected to visit the company and inspect the part to ascertain whether it matches what they require. Williams said that should they be able to source the part here, power can be restored to Port Kaituma in a matter of days.
The HEC was preparing to source the part overseas, which would have contributed to a further delay in the restoration of power to the mining community.
Following a report by this newspaper of the power woes, which sparked a protest in the community, Production Manager of ECI Kamini Ramlachan contacted Stabroek News on Wednesday morning and indicated that her company has the parts needed to repair the Port Kaituma Power and Light company’s (PKPL) broken generator.
ECI’s Chief Executive Officer Samuel Barkat had voiced his disappointment that the HECI was looking to source the part overseas when it is locally available. He highlighted that his company has been offering its services to Guyana for more than 20 years and it was not approached.
The PKPL and officials from the HECI are expected to meet with residents today. A meeting was initially scheduled for yesterday but Williams informed Stabroek News that it was postponed.
The residents on Monday began a protest as a result of their frustration with the situation, which has been ongoing for almost a month. Several teachers and office workers from the community joined residents in the continuing protest on Tuesday.
The power company had informed residents earlier this month that they will be without power for at least two weeks. A Facebook post made by the power company said, “PKPL wishes to inform its customers that as a result of [a] major mechanical issue, power should be restored within two weeks. PKPL sincerely regrets all inconveniences caused.”
Since the power outage, Stabroek News learnt, gasoline prices have skyrocketed in the community. Prices for five gallons of gasoline range between $11,000 and $15,000.
