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Riverain community gets solar power
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds yesterday officially commissioned the solar electricity home systems at the Muritaro Primary School, in the Upper Demerara River.
The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Ms. Pauline Sukhai, and Region Ten Chairman Mortimer Mingo, expressed his pleasure and satisfaction at the historic commissioning, which marked the first of its kind in Region Ten.
Hinds noted that, as it was not feasible to install a grid system within the hinterland communities because of the fact that houses are more often than not spaced far apart, alternative sources of energy were looked at.
As a result, a consulting firm, Projekt Consult from Germany, was contracted to carry out a study to determine the requirements for economically, socio-environmentally and institutionally viable schemes to serve isolated communities with electricity.
Surveys were done in some 30 hinterland communities over a wide geographic spread. As a result of these analyses, recommendations suitable to each locale were made with respect to electrification.
Consequently, Muritaro was chosen for a pilot programme within Region Ten, and each house in the community was subsequently outfitted with individual Solar Home Systems costing $300,000 each.
Each System is rated at 125 watts and provides primarily lighting for residents and power for light home entertainment systems.
Residents will be required to pay a monthly fee of $500 for the system. These monies would be paid to a fund managed by the village council. It was pointed out that the monies that would accrue from this undertaking will go towards maintenance of the equipment and to effect necessary repairs.
With good care and maintenance, the systems could last for at least 25 years, it was noted.
Village Captain Chlorine Bowen expressed gratitude and pleasure on the commissioning of the Solar Home systems on behalf of the residents of Muritaro, in her community.
The electrification of Muritaro was implemented under the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme, and was initiated by the Government and funded by the Inter American Development Bank.
Muritaro is one of several electrification pilot projects that were planned for selected hinterland communities. It will be evaluated within six to twelve months after installation.
Other electrification projects completed so far, using the Solar Home Systems, include Capoey in Region Two, Kurkuaru in Region Eight, and Yarakita in Region One. (Enid Joaquin)
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