Not all of US$27 million electricity generation sets operable; several to be activated in coming days

Last Updated on Tuesday, 2 April 2024, 22:23 by Denis Chabrol

Minister of Public Works II, Deodat Indar on Tuesday said only nine of the 17 reconditioned containerised electricity generation sets that were bought for US$27 million were working but strenuous efforts were being made by Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) to connect more units to the grid by weekend.

“By Saturday, we are told by GPL, an additional six engines will be on the grid and the following week the other two will be on the grid to complete the entire 17 so that you can get supply out of that 28.9 megawatts,” he told reporters.

The generation sets had been purchased last December from APAN Energy  to ease blackouts over the Christmas season but Mr Indar indicated that not all had supplied electricity to Guyanese. “They had some issues with the wiring,” he said. He said after the engines arrived in Guyana, a number 0f the fuel tanks were left in Panama and remained undelivered up to the end of February, 2024.

APAN Energy, he said, had been given two more months to complete the project or the company could be penalised by liquidated damages by GPL. The Public Infrastructure Minister said an inspection had been conducted in Honduras to “make sure that all of the parts were loaded” and the shipment of fuel tanks from Panama was delayed due to riots there.

With more of those generating sets expected to go online in the coming days, Mr Indar said those would fill some of the void left by two engines as a result of a damaged crankshaft in one and a damaged bearing in another.

Former Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson on Wednesday said GPL has procured 17 third hand containerized sets of unknown quality and procurement methodology. Five months after this purchase, only four sets are operational, it is understood the remaining sets have several defects, which has rendered them ineffective – a prime example of poor technical management,” he said in a letter to the editor.

President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday met with GPL’s Board and Management, Management of Power Producers and Distributors Inc. (PPDI) which manages 106 megawatts, and Wartsila’s Country Manager and his team. “The President read the riot to everybody,” Mr Indar said.

“There are some serious adjustments that have to be made at PPDI, at Wartsila and at GPL…I would just say serious adjustments because they need to deliver,” Mr Indar said.

Thousands of Guyanese in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) suffered repeated and prolonged blackouts during the Easter weekend as a result of two explosions at a Kingston generating facility and the shut down of a transformer due to a fault at the Garden-of-Eden substation.