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Linden Needs Long-Term Plan to Support Residential, Industrial Growth
(Kaieteur News) – APNU Member of Parliament and former Linden Mayor, Sharma Solomon is calling for a long-term development plan for Linden, noting that the town’s ongoing electricity problems are the result of years of poor planning rather than simply a shortage of generating capacity.
In a video statement posted to his Facebook page on Wednesday, Solomon said Linden was once capable of powering a major industrial base but is now struggling to meet the demands of a growing population and expanding industrial activity.
“One, let me say this: We once had the capacity to power an industrial town. We had a 32-power megawatt steel plant, 16 megawatts sitting at the aluminum plant, and then we had a seven-megawatt diesel power at the bridge. All of that power Linden’s industrial endeavour develop. Now, as we see today the town developing with sawmills and everything industrial and residential is struggling with 15 megawatts, and we are struggling with small integration of 1.2 (mw),” he stressed.
Former Mayor of Linden and current Member of Parliament for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Sharma Solomon
He noted that Linden is now dealing with growing residential and industrial demand while operating with significantly less capacity.
The former mayor questioned whether the addition of small-scale generation projects, including solar, would be enough to address the town’s long-term needs.
He said while residents may welcome the additional 1.2 megawatts coming on stream, the administration must look beyond individual projects and develop a comprehensive strategy for Linden’s future electricity needs.
“Now, with GPL power purchasing, we need to know how those things will integrate into our system, and we still don’t have a long-term coherent development plan,” Solomon said
He said Linden needs a programme that would provide reliable and sustainable electricity while taking into account the town’s anticipated residential and industrial expansion.
“A long-term programme is what this industrial town needs, so that we move back to reliable, sustainable power to allow for that residential, industrial development to be put into proper perspective,” he said.
Solomon also questioned the timeline for the planned gas-to-energy initiative, noting that more than two years have passed while billions of dollars have been budgeted.
He said Linden cannot afford to wait for fragmented projects to come on stream without a broader development strategy.
Among the questions he raised was whether the town would receive additional generation capacity beyond the solar projects and where the comprehensive development plan for Linden’s changing industrial landscape is.
His comments come days after it was announced that Linden would receive an additional 1.5 megawatts in generator capacity to boost electricity supply to communities served by BOSAI, as peak demand continues to rise.
According to an update provided by BOSAI’s Linden management to Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar, installation works, including transformer and fuel-line connections, were underway, with the unit expected to begin generating power by the middle of this week.
Solomon, however, maintained that additional generating units alone will not address Linden’s broader needs without a long-term plan for the town’s residential and industrial development.
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