“Emergency” blackout in Demerara due to mechanical problems

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 20:59 by GxMedia

The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) on Monday announced that several areas would be without electricity until later in the day because of two of its generators have developed “mechanical difficulties” at the same time that another unit at Kingston is being overhauled.

The power company hopes to restore normal power supply by 1 PM today.

GPL explained that on Sunday, May 18, 2014 two of GPL’s Wartsila Engines – one at the Garden of Eden and one at Kingston, experienced mechanical difficulties.

“The loss of this 11 MW capacity has occurred while planned overhaul of the No 2 unit (6.9 MW) at the new Kingston Plant is being done as scheduled, and resulted in a shortage of capacity to meet demand in the Demerara System.

Therefore, emergency load shedding has been instituted throughout the Demerara System from last night, and is expected to continue until 1:00 pm today when repairs to one of the units will be completed,” GPL said in a statement.

Sunday night Villages stretching from Versailles to La Retraite were without power from 18:29hrs to 20:20hrs, Windsor Forest to Edinburg from 19:06hrs to 21:10hrs and the Sophia area from 18:35hrs to 21:05hrs.

Today, consumers from Good Hope to Industry and in South & North Ruimveldt, Guyhoc Park, Tucville and Shirley Field Ridley Scheme have been without power from shortly after 08:00hrs this morning.

GPL said repairs to the second engine should be completed by midnight.

The power company extended sincerest appreciation to its customers for their patience and regretted any inconvenience caused.