The Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) has shortened the delivery time for an additional 60 megawatts (MW) of power it wants so that it can be prepared for increased demand during the cricket and Christmas seasons, Chief Executive Officer Kesh Nandlall says.
“We want to be prepared for an increase in demand and to ensure we have sufficient availability and in the system, not only now but between now and the time the gas to energy project comes into effect.
“We are in preparation for the holidays and CPL and everything else that comes up… we prepare to have more reserves because it is always better to have more than less …,” he said yesterday.
After signalling earlier this year that it would need additional power on standby while the power ship provides the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System with power, GPL placed a Request for Proposal (RFP) to supply 60 MW Net Power Generation Base load Capacity to DBIS through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and for it to be delivered 90 days after the contract was inked.
In May of this year, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that government was exploring another power purchase agreement similar to the current one it has with a Qatari power ship company, Karpowership, but this time for some 30 MW more until the Gas to Energy project is completed. This was because government has forecast increasing demands next year.
“We are still looking for an additional 30 MW of power into the system, in a similar way to the arrangement we have with Karpowership, that is for two years, until the Gas to Energy (GTE) [project] comes on stream and is able to supply enough power to the country,” Jagdeo told a press conference he hosted at Freedom House, Robb Street.
Jagdeo said that as the powership began distribution, “This 36 MW would allow for maintenance of the other units” of the unity company that had been deferred.
And while the GPL RFP had said 90 days was delivery time, on Thursday it made public an addendum, informing that the 90 days period had been reduced to 30 days.
Nandlall said the reduction time was to expedite the process and ensure that systems were in place long before anticipated increased demand, as GPL “always want to be prepared for any eventuality.”
Tenders for that project are expected to be opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board on September 17th.
GPL has been criticized for poor planning of its short to medium term needs.
In the call for RFPs, GPL outlined that bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedures, specified in the Procurement Act and that interested eligible bidders may inspect the bidding documents and obtain further information from its procurement office on Main Street during normal working hours.
“Bid documents will be available from August 23, 2024 and can be uplifted from the Procurement Office, Guyana Power and Light Inc. 40 Main Street Georgetown upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000),” the advertisement stated.
“Bids shall be submitted in a plain sealed envelope bearing no identification of the Bidder and marked on the top left hand corner “Supply of 60 MW Net Power Generation Base load Capacity to DBIS Through Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)”, it added noting that it must be addressed to the Chairman of National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance, Main and Urquhart streets Georgetown, and deposited in the tender box no later than 09.00 hours on the 17th.
Bidders must submit one original (on paper) and two electronic copies (flash drive only) with an exact PDF version of the paper tender Ensure the envelopes of the original (in paper) and the two electronic copies are identically labelled. The two electronic copies should be placed in a smaller envelope and properly affixed to the original paper submission.
All proposals from local companies must also be accompanied by valid certificates of compliance from the Manager of the National Insurance Scheme, and the Commissioner of the Guyana Revenue Authority.
