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224 blackouts hit Berbice last year; 20 less than 2009
Bar Graph showing comparison of numbers of blackouts in 2009 and 2010
Even though statistics show that there has been some reduction in the number of blackouts in Berbice, statistics collected over the past two years have shown that power outages by the Guyana Power and Light Inc are still high.
There were 224 blackouts in Berbice last year compared to 244 in the previous year, a reduction of 20.
August 2010 was the month with the most blackouts, 26 of them. But the power company seemed to have made good on its promise to deliver an adequate and reliable supply of electricity to Berbicians for Christmas because December recorded the lowest number of power outages—nine.
This situation was the total opposite the previous year when the 2009 Christmas season saw some 28 blackouts in Berbice. For the two years in review, March 2009 recorded just seven blackouts, the lowest number in both years.
However, some monthly figures are very high. Nearly all of the months recorded double- digit power outages.
Head of regional operations of GPL Berbice, Ayube Bacchus, when contacted for his opinion on the blackout figures for 2010, credited the drop in number of blackouts to his company’s rigorous maintenance works.
“We have improved in line maintenance. We started late last year; we ran up to December 15th. We will start back on January 18.”
Bacchus said that one of the greatest challenges that GPL Berbice faced in 2010 was the adverse weather condition, which hampered maintenance works.
On Thursday just after 0300hrs, during a heavy wind, a utility pole in the vicinity of Republic Road in New Amsterdam snapped after being battered by heavy winds.
The entire area was plunged into darkness until late that afternoon.
Bacchus added that his crews checked the entire Corentyne corridor on Thursday for any damaged poles.
Bacchus noted that 20 less blackouts in 2010 is a small improvement. “We have to work hard to reduce that further. One of the biggest problems is maintenance; we have to zero in on maintenance. We have a rigid maintenance programme that we have already set out for this year.
“We will be doing vegetation management, which is, keeping transmission lines clear. With this kind of [inclement] weather, the bamboo trees tend to sprout up quickly.
While he noted a slight improvement in generation capacity at the Canefield Power Station, he is convinced that the maintenance schedule is to be credited with the reduction of blackouts in Berbice last year. (Leon Suseran)
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