GPL says electricity will return to normalcy today

Aug 26, 2017 News

– Efforts afoot to address generation shortfall

Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) intends to address the issue of constant power outages today by re-connecting a generation engine that was down for some time.

The Kingston plant operated by Power Producers and Distributors Incorporated (PPDI)

This was the assurance given yesterday by Public Relations Officer, Shevion Sears, during a press conference at GPL’s Duke Street, Kingston Office.
According to Sears, the DP3 number two engine at the Kingston Power Station should be back online today. She said that the engine was unavailable for some time due to a damaged alternator. This indeed was the case, as during a site visit to the Kingston plant on Thursday, technicians were observed working on the particular engine.
Sears told the media that currently, GPL has a generation shortfall due to the DP3 engine being unavailable along with two other engines. She said that the normal generation capacity in the Demerara-Berbice interconnected system, inclusive of the Skeldon-Wärtsilä plant and the Co-generation plant is approximately 137 megawatts.
The PRO added that the total available generation capacity in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected system is currently 106 megawatts. She said that the day peak is approximately 109 megawatts while the night peak is just about 110 to 112 megawatts.
Sears said that this translates to mean a generation shortfall of approximately 3 megawatts during the day and 6 megawatts during the night peak periods. She indicated that there are two major reasons for power outages, either planned or unplanned.
“For the unplanned outages we have the DP1 number one at Garden of Eden which constitutes 5.5 megawatts, it is unavailable for approximately six weeks for major overhaul. This machine should return to service very soon.
DP3 number two which is 6.6 megawatt remained unavailable due to a damaged alternator and DP3 number three a 6.6 megawatts engine is unavailable due to major overhaul.”
As it relates to unplanned outages, Sears said that the number one engine at the Skeldon Energy Incorporated (SEI) power plant, which is a 5 megawatt engine, is unavailable. Added to this, on Thursday evening the power company lost another 2.3 megawatts out of the Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice power plant, due to a small fire.
She said that details are not clear regarding the fire and that GPL engineers are currently investigating the issue.
“So essentially, those are the facts to which caused a generation shortfall within the system. Everything will return to normalcy on Saturday (today) because we expect to finish the number two engine on Saturday. That will bring our generation capacity up.”
Sears said that when the engine returns today, availability will increase to 110 megawatts which will satisfy the requirements. Looking to the future, Sears said that when phase two of the Power Utility Upgrade Programme (PUUP) is completed, these issues will not arise as there will be excess generation capacity within the system.