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Mahdia electricity woes…Chairman appeals for the resuscitation of the Tumatumari Hydro

Feb 08, 2014 News

The rationing of electricity in Mahdia is seriously affecting the community and needs to be urgently rectified. And, the solution to the electricity problem is the Tumatumari Hydro project.
This is according to Mark Crawford, Region Eight Chairman, who said that, the Mahdia Power and Light (MPL) Company is claiming that the reason for the shortfall is limited revenue.
Crawford stressed that the rationing of electricity is negatively impacting the business community, the increasing number of residents, health services and schools.
According to him, for the last six months, only one of the two engines at the MPL has been operable.
“About six months ago the lighting resisters on one of the engines were damaged by lightning and to date has not been repaired. Should anything happen to this one that is working, the entire community would be without power,” he lamented.
According to Crawford, in order for the power company to supply constant electricity it would need a subvention from government.
“Of course that should not be a problem since Government is collecting a lot of revenue from this mining district and I expect that Government will include the amount required in this year’s budget,” Crawford noted.
He said that while a subvention is needed urgently to alleviate the rationing of electricity; it is only the short-term solution to the electricity woes. He believes that the solution to the electricity problem is the Tumatumari Hydro Plant.
“If this hydro is resuscitated it has the capacity to generate 1.5 megawatts of electricity.  Not only Mahdia will benefit from this electricity but also Tumatumari, Micobie, Konawaruk Junction, The Mahdia Housing Scheme and residents along the line from Brian Sucre Junction to Mahdia,” he said.
Crawford emphasized that this call was made previously and said he hopes government is ready to accept this solution because the people of Mahdia and neighbouring communities are suffering.
The Chairman stressed that having the Tumatumari Hydro power would be very beneficial and Government should be aware since it has been stressing the need for cheap energy. He said that one of the most important benefits of the hydro is the reduction in electricity cost.
“At present we are paying $100 per unit of electricity (the highest price in Guyana). I was told that should this hydro plant become operational we will only have to pay $60 per unit of electricity and after 10 years it will be further reduced,” he said.
Crawford said it will be a more reliable supply of electricity and he is hopeful the communities will receive 24 hour supply, with few power outages.
He said that government would also be saving revenue on fuel that is used to operate the present power plant. And, it will also help to reduce greenhouse gases.
“Persons living along the line from Brian Sucre Junction to Mahdia can set up small cottage industries, which will create jobs, which will be so much needed here in a short while from now since most of the mining lands will be soon worked out,” Crawford noted.
Crawford said that he is appealing to Government to make funds available to resuscitate this hydro plant. He believes that funds to resuscitate this hydropower project could be had from the GRIF fund.
“I would like the government to make the funds available to us in the region to fund this project,” he said.

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