Demerara, Berbice have extra power as GPL’s submarine cable repaired

Oct 27, 2019 News

After four months of skating on thin ice, the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has managed to resuscitate a critical link that will bring extra power from the West Demerara area.

Works on the submarine power link by CMC workers

This was following repairs to the submarine cable across the Demerara River.
According to the GPL, its 69kV submarine cable is back in operation following the successful completion of remedial work.
“Following its return to operation, approximately 14 megawatts (MW) of power is being supplied to the eastern section of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).
The submarine cable which links the Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston Power Plants sustained damage at two locations in June and August by vessels traversing the Demerara River.
Subsequently, repairs were carried out by China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC), the company that laid the cable in 2012.
GPL said it has requested the assistance of its Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to advise mariners to exercise caution when operating in close proximity of the cable.
The submarine cable was part of a US$40M project to build new transmission lines, seven new sub-stations and two submarine cables – one each across the Demerara River and Berbice River.
Earlier this month, GPL announced that it had started repairs.
The state-owned power company said it was able to source the repair kit from CMC, the same contractor which laid the cable in the first place and which had been engaged in conducting the repairs on the last four occasions it was damaged.
The armour and insulation protection of the cable, which extends to the conductors was damaged at two locations in June and August by vessels traversing the Demerara River.
According to GPL, due to the extent of the damage, two repair kits had to be sourced from CMC.
“Repairs to the cable were delayed due to the discovery of the second damage in August, which required additional diagnosis and testing. Consequently, both kits were manufactured and shipped to Guyana.
“Following the arrival of the kits, the contractor, CMC, immediately commenced work to retrieve and repair the compromised sections of the cable, approximately 0.7 and 0.8 km offshore the Kingston Power Plant.”
GPL said that upon completion, the cable will be re-energised to transfer power generated by the Vreed-en-Hoop Plant to supply the eastern section of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).
“Additionally, as a preventative measure, the cable will be reburied in the Demerara River to a depth of approximately 15 feet.
“As part of GPL’s contingency response to the damaged cable, a smaller 13.8 kV submarine cable was laid across the Demerara River in June, to transfer 5.5 Megawatt of power from the VEH Power Plant.”
The downing of that submarine cable had left the inter-connected Demerara and Berbice system shaky as almost 15 megawatts of power available in the West Demerara area was unable to be shared to East Demerara and Berbice systems.
It had left thousands of consumers without power after scheduled blackouts were implemented.
Critics had blamed the poor laying of the cable on the river for the troubles.
Passing vessels with their anchors were said to have caused the damage.

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