By Delicia Janneire
December 23, 2024
President Dr. Irfaan Ali has emphasized the importance of accountability in the government’s investments aimed at addressing the country’s power supply challenges.
Speaking during the second episode of the “In the Seat” program, he stated that the results of the investment in the second power ship will be closely monitored, and improvements must be seen by the end of January 2025.
He also warned that failure to show progress could result in consequences for the management of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
The second power ship, which is expected to be connected to the grid by Christmas, is part of a broader effort to increase the country’s electricity generation capacity to meet the growing demand.
The President clarified that payments for the rental of the power ship will only begin once it is fully operational and connected.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips also visited the power ship recently and confirmed that a controlled power outage was conducted to facilitate a test run of the power supply.
He assured the public that, barring any unforeseen circumstances such as accidents to power lines, there would be no further blackouts or load shedding. Any disruptions would be brief and related to corrective maintenance.
The contractor for the project, Kalpataru Projects International Limited (KPIL), completed the installation of transmission lines within six weeks to support the second power ship.
This infrastructure is designed to distribute an additional 60 megawatts of power to the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS), improving the electricity supply to Georgetown and surrounding areas.
The ship, docked at the old sugar terminal in Ruimveldt, will connect to the new Georgetown Substation and the Sophia location, ensuring a more stable power supply for the region.
As the second power ship is integrated into the national grid, the government remains focused on enhancing the reliability of the country’s power supply and addressing long-standing energy challenges.