The recent spate of blackouts following the arrival of the Turkish power ship is a result of disruption to the grid caused by vultures, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) says.
Ravindra Jagnanan, GPL Zone 1 (Berbice) Manager, yesterday explained to Stabroek News that the company will be embarking today on repairs which include the taking out of a transmission line. He stressed that the company does not have any intention of any major load shedding, however, if there is power outage it would not be longer than four hours.
Jagnanan yesterday said that the company is “experiencing a high volume of birds.”
According to him, some GTT towers are also suffering from this problem. He explained that the vultures are flocking the lines in the mornings and evenings and when it rains as there has been evidence of same resulting in a trip in the line.
In terms of a solution to the issue, Jagnanan explained that they are in talks with an overseas-based company that specializes in fabricating conductor shields so that they can customize it and deter the birds.
Meanwhile, GPL in a statement yesterday said that it will be carrying out maintenance work on its transmission and distribution network in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS). “This includes installing shields/deterrents on the L21 Transmission Line to address the proliferation of vultures on the transmission towers”, it said.
According to GPL, this initiative aims to reduce the frequency of transmission line trips caused by vultures coming into contact with network components on the towers. “Additionally, feeder maintenance will be carried out to ensure the distribution network is functioning efficiently. These critical maintenance activities will necessitate de-energizing sections of the network including the L21 Transmission Line which connects GPL’s Onverwagt and Canefield Substations and the Power ship at Everton, Berbice.”
As such residents in the following areas will experience a temporary interruption in power supply.
GEORGETOWN – Alberttown – 8:00- 12:00 hrs, Upper Brickdam & Hadfield Street -8:00- 12:00 hrs, Queenstown – 8:00- 12:00 hrs Newtown & Environs – 12:00 – 16:00 hrs, Lamaha Gardens & Section K Campbellville – 12:00 – 16:00 hrs and A to E Field Sophia- 12:00 – 16:00 hrs
EAST COAST DEMERARA – Success to Lusignan – 8:00- 12:00 hrs Ogle and South of Public Road – 12:00 – 16:00hrs.
EAST BANK DEMERARA – Diamond – 12:00 – 16:00 hrs, Section A Grove to Craig – 12:00 – 16:00 hrs, Farm and Coverden New Scheme – 12:00 – 16:00 hrs, Sections of Republic Park, Herstelling and Mocha – 12:00 – 16:00 hrs and Rahaman Turn to Eccles Public Road – 12:00 – 16:00 hrs.
WEST BANK DEMERARA & EAST BANK ESSEQUIBO – Leonora to Naamryck- 12:00 – 16:00 hrs
