-by Nakasia Logan
The country currently has enough generation capacity to meet peak electricity demand, but limitations across the transmission network continue to create challenges, as power consumption rises amid the ongoing heat wave.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar says the addition of a new generating engine has increased available generation capacity to approximately 266.5 megawatts.
“We have the generation as we speak now to deal with the peak. As I said, the generation we have is 266.5 megawatts. By the end of August, in the first week of September, we should have about 280 megawatts because we have five more megawatts coming from the power ship. We have an engine in Berbice and another one in Kingston,” he said.
Indar says the challenge is no longer simply generating enough electricity, but moving that power through the national transmission network to areas where demand is highest.
The national grid recently recorded a record peak demand of 246.2 megawatts, putting additional pressure on sections of the transmission system, particularly the 13,800-volt lines.
“The grid recorded 246.2 megawatts. It’s the highest number. It’s now gone up. What we’ve been seeing is we have the generation because we are 266.5. So we do have the generation on different parts of the grid because the entire demand level has raised different parts of the transmission side of it, especially the 13,800-volt lines. Some of them are getting overloaded,” he added.
The problem was particularly evident on the East Bank Demerara, including Prospect, Little Diamond and Grove/Diamond, where increased demand placed pressure on a feeder.
GPL was forced to redistribute some of the load to another feeder to maintain electricity supply to communities in the area.
Indar said three major contractors are currently engaged in expanding the transmission network, with approximately 425 kilometres of 13,800-volt lines planned across Demerara, Region Three and other areas.
However, he acknowledged that the transmission projects will take time to complete.
Meanwhile, GPL is still awaiting an additional five megawatts of generation from the power ship, which is expected to come on stream shortly.
Generating units in Berbice and Kingston are also expected to return to service following repairs and overhauls.