Chinese engineer arrested for hours-long blackout

Apr 27, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – An engineer attached to the China Railway First Group was on Sunday arrested after the machine he was operating damaged one of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) transmission lines at Dennis Street, Sophia causing massive blackout across Demerara.

Checks at Dennis Street established that China Railway First Group was conducting road expansion works in the area at the time, GPL said, noting that beyond the disruption to service, contact with electrical infrastructure poses a grave risk to life.

“Incidents of this nature can result in severe injury or death, in addition to widespread outages and damage to the network.

GPL is therefore strongly urging all contractors and members of the public to exercise extreme caution when operating near electrical lines and to strictly observe all safety protocols and clearance requirements. The company further underscores that any party found responsible for damage to critical infrastructure will face the full brunt of the law.”

Power in some areas was restored around 2PM after the power outage which started 8:47 AM. “Dear customers, please be advised that incremental restoration is still ongoing at approximately 90 percent,”: GPL said in a statement issued Sunday afternoon. The company said in the 2PM statement that most areas in West Demerara, Georgetown and East Demerara have been repowered and that restoration excercise will continue until all areas have been repowered.  “The service interruption is as a result of machinery, attached to China Railway First Group, making contact with our 69,000-volt transmission line 10, which links our New Georgetown and Sophia Substations, causing it to trip. The Guyana Police Force has since arrested Chinese National, Xiou Wei, in connection with the incident that continues to inconvenience our valued customers,” the GPL statement read.

Meanwhile, GPL further urged the general public to exercise caution when operating near its network, “as these incidents have the potential to endanger lives and cause significant inconvenience to customers.  The Guyana Police Force will be engaged to take the appropriate action against those found responsible.”

Back in March this year, this newspaper reported GPL saying that contractors and members of the public who damage infrastructure belonging to the company will face legal action. This was disclosed by head of executive management, Kesh Nandlall, during a hearing before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), where he explained that GPL has strengthened its collaboration with the Guyana Police Force to address the issue. “We have a team of guys that are working very closely with the police. When we have these incidents, we act immediately… there was a lot of charges being meted out to these contractors,” Nandlall told the commission back then.

The move by GPL had come amid growing concerns over repeated damage to utility infrastructure, much of which has been linked not only to vehicular accidents but also to ongoing construction and roadworks across the country. PUC Chairman, Dr. Nanda Gopaul, stressed that those responsible must be held financially accountable, noting that the burden should not fall on GPL or consumers. “Has there been any attempt to penalise these contractors… bring them before the courts and make them pay fines?” Gopaul questioned, adding that insurance coverage carried by contractors should be used to offset such damages. He further warned that the consequences extend beyond power disruptions, pointing out that damage to utility poles often results in severed telephone lines and prolonged service outages in affected communities. “We can’t continue going there… when you drive around and see posts knocked down at corners, one wonders whether people are driving war tanks on the road,” he remarked, referencing areas such as LBI where such incidents are frequent.

Divisional director for load reduction, Persram Peraud, confirmed a noticeable spike in infrastructure damage, linking it to the increase in road and construction projects nationwide. “In the last few months, it’s a significant increase,” he said, noting that the rise in damage has also contributed to more frequent power outages. Under current procedures, GPL assesses the cost of damages and seeks compensation from those responsible. However, officials noted that contractors often fail to notify the company before conducting works near power lines, a requirement intended to prevent such incidents. In those cases, matters are referred to the police for further action, as GPL moves to clamp down on negligence and protect critical infrastructure.

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• blackout, China Railway First Group, Chinese engineer, GPL, transmission lines

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