Almost a month after residents of Port Kaituma began grappling with no electricity from the Port Kaituma Power and Light Company (PKPL), power was finally restored yesterday afternoon.
Stabroek News was told that electricity was restored at 3.20 pm.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) on Monday announced that they were able to procure and transport the replacement engine to the community through its agent, Power Producers and Distributors Inc (PPDI).
However, while a statement from the ministry had said electricity was expected to return to the community within two days, that objective was not realised.
“This engine is anticipated to be installed today and the residents should expect electricity later today or tomorrow,” the release had said.
A source told this newspaper that after the installation of the engine was completed, technicians discovered that the wiring at the power house was faulty and recommended that it be changed before the generator was put back into operation.
The recommendation was adhered to, resulting in the delay of the restoration of power to the community.
Shem Cuffy, representative of the community at the Regional Democratic Council, yesterday told this newspaper that during a community meeting on Saturday last, Head of the Hinterland Electrification Company Incorporated (HECI) Horace Williams had informed residents that power would be restored by this weekend.
“We actually got power two days before the time Mr Williams had told us. During the meeting last week he had said that power will be back by Saturday. We are happy that power was restored days before and it is a big relief for us in the community,” Cuffy said yesterday via telephone.
Engineering and Construction Inc (ECI), a local power supply company, reached out and provided quotations on the spare part needed for the repairs to PPDI after the power issue was reported by this newspaper.
The HECI was preparing to source the part overseas, which would have contributed to a further delay in the restoration of power to the mining community.
Production Manager of ECI Kamini Ramlachan had contacted Stabroek News two Wednesdays ago, and said that her company had the parts needed to repair PKPL’s broken generator.
ECI’s Chief Executive Officer Samuel Barakat had voiced his disappointment that the HECI was looking to source the part overseas when it was 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 residents mounted a protest two Mondays ago to vent their frustration with the situation. 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 would 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 skyrocketed in the community. Prices for five gallons of gasoline range between $11,000 and $15,000.
