Cleanup, disposal to cost in excess of $3M - GPL’s CEO

Cleanup, disposal to cost in excess of $3M – GPL’s CEO

May 12, 2009 News

GPL’s CEO Bharrat Dindyal

While acknowledging that Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is yet to complete the cleanup and disposal of the fuel that spilled last month at the Kingston Power Plant the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Bharat Dindyal, has said that the cost of the exercise is yet to be finalized but it is expected to surpass $3M.
The fuel was spilled as a result of a high-pressure suction line failing within the bund wall and this resulted in the discharge of fuel into the banded area in Kingston.
Some fuel had also spilled onto the roadways and drains in the local as well as in the Demerara River.
Dindyal explained that the Kingston power plant compound was the remaining area to be cleaned. According to the company the incident would inform changes in the routine inspection and maintenance of fuel tanks and in the design of flexible, high-pressure connections.
GPL, through a release following the determination of the spill, said that GPL has already completed a preliminary inspection of all its bulk storage tanks, bund walls and containment areas and will soon undertake a more detailed examination using specialised equipment.
Initially, it was suspected that the bulk storage tank had failed and caused the spill. However, inspection revealed three failures on the bonded area floor where cavities opened and allowed fuel to escape containment.
According to GPL, the total amount of fuel lost is confirmed at 1,950 barrels worth US$97,500.
The release stated that GPL has received only one report of fuel being sighted on the Kitty foreshore and is still calling on citizens to report sightings.
“Residents should be advised that the fuel will, by now, be emulsified and will become grayish and soggy and not remain black and defined.”
The Guyana Defence Force (Coast Guard and Air Wing in particular), Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Police Force, Civil Defence Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Public Work and Communications, Sol and Franklin Singh Disposal Services assisted in the cleanup.
Such was the extent of the spill that General Manager of Toucan Industries Limited, Lennie Shuffler on April 14, last was forced to close its doors and send home employees.
He had told this newspaper that the decision was in a bid to safeguard its employees, all of whom started to complain of feeling nauseated as a result of inhaling the pungent odour of the Heavy Fuel Oil that was spilt and which remained in the drains and roadway.
“The smell started to affect the staff…We thought it was best that we send them home.”
He also lamented that as a result of the decision to send home the staff, business could not be conducted so the company lost money.
At another business close by, employees complained bitterly that the oil spill was having an adverse effect on the company in that it was deterring customers.
Those who did show up complained of the inconvenience caused by the spill. The residents in the area were not spared the inconvenience.
Up to yesterday, workers could be seen working feverishly to clean up the mess but the odour was still strong in the air.