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CJIA’s runway extension starts
– engineers to test soil as possible fuel source
The expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) has begun in earnest with the Chinese firm currently undertaking the runway.
Government, according to CJIA, has also ordered tests on soil found in the area. The soil is believed to be peat, which can be mined for fuel.
Transport Minister, Robeson Benn, touring the CJIA site with the Chinese contractor last Thursday.
CJIA yesterday said, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) is currently tackling a trial section in the Timehri North area, located just beyond the localizer, antennas used for landing the planes. The localizer is situated just north of the main runway.
The filling works would have commenced two weeks ago.
Minister of Public Works and Transport, Robeson Benn, along with other Ministry and CJIA officials were taken on a site visit last Thursday, where CHEC’s Engineers are removing the soft peat and backfilling the area with sand.
“I know we had some hiccups but I am happy to see that works have commenced for this transformational project,” Minister Benn told CHEC technicians.
When completed the runway will be able to accommodate BOEING 747-400 aircraft, and will be extended from 7,500 feet to 10,800 feet.
The runway extension is part of a US$150M expansion that will also include a brand new terminal building.
Currently slated as the second largest public infrastructure project in the country, the initiative has not found favor with the Opposition who voted down over $5B in monies allocated in the budget, earlier this year. The Opposition said they want more clarity on the project as there were not sufficient reasons advanced to justify the spending.
Government had been arguing that increased passenger traffic and a short runway have both stifled the growth of CJIA. In addition to sewage problems, the current airport in peak season is unable to handle the crowds.
A new airport will coincide with Guyana’s growing tourism and attract new airlines and even traffic from Asia and Africa.
Almost US$20M has already been advanced to CHEC. There had been fears that the blocking of funding for the project would have hurt planned construction which has been pushed back from a mid-year start.
CJIA said that Minister Benn has instructed his engineers to carry out tests on peat soil found in the area. According to him, peat is produced as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world.
Data has shown that over time, the formation of peat is often the first step in the geological formation of other fossil fuels such as Lignite, which is considered the lowest rank of coal. It is mined in Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Poland, Serbia, Russia, the United States, India, Australia and many other parts of Europe and it is used almost exclusively as a fuel for steam-electric power generation.
Up to 50 percent of Greece’s electricity and 25.7 percent of Germany’s comes from lignite power plants, particularly low grade coal such as lignite.
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