A Netherlands-registered vessel, NLIST DLEP is responsible for the damage to the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) Demerara River submarine power cable, which occurred just over two weeks ago.
Stabroek News has learnt that the vessel falls into the general cargo category and at the time was being used for the transportation of rice.
Director General of the Maritime Administration Department, Stephen Thomas, told Stabroek News that their probe is almost complete and a report is being prepared. He did not offer any comments on the findings or recommendations made by his agency.
The severed submarine cable links the Kingston and Vreed-en-Hoop substations.
Currently, the Chinese cable manufacturer is conducting repairs to the severed cable.
In a statement on the accident, GPL explained that the 69kV submarine cable linking the Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston power plants was completely severed by a ship’s anchor.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the vessel dropped its anchor on the river bed and it hooked onto the cable, dragging it for some time.
GPL’s submarine cable was restored on October 26, 2019, after it was damaged by ships in June and August that year.
Owing to the frequent damage to the cable, the Ministry of Public Works had asked MARAD to institute an order to prevent vessels from anchoring close to the cable.
In a notice posted on Facebook and advertised in the print media, MARAD notified the operators of maritime vessels of the cables that cross the Demerara River – the GPL Kingston to Vreed-en-Hoop submarine cable, and the Princes Street Outfall to Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling submarine cable. It further informed that operators were prohibited from anchoring in proximity to these cables and should keep a minimum of 200 meters away when anchored.
Additionally, GPL informed that it will be incorporated into the policing loop, utilising its round-the-clock security presence at Kingston which overlooks the cable crossing. It was noted that relevant information will be shared with GPL’s security personnel via radio and telephone to facilitate this endeavour.
Further, tugs will be engaged and will intervene should a vessel require assistance. This is a future plan of GPL and this initiative would not be implemented immediately.
China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation, the company that laid the cable in 2012, executed repairs when the cable was severed in 2019.
