GPL to commission new substations, submarine cable next month

TIMES INT'L

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc is seeking to have its submarine cable across the Demerara River, buried another four metres into the riverbed to protect it from any damage following government’s decision to dredge the Demerara River, CEO Bharat Dindyal said. “The submarine cable is currently laid at 3.5 metres below the bed of the Demerara River, and there is talk about dredging the Demerara River to a 10-metre draft and if that were to happen, the cable would now be sitting at the surface of the river which would make it exposed.

GPL CEO Bharat Dindyal

In fact, it would be at risk of being damaged by vessels,” he said. “We are working with another contractor, potentially looking to lay this cable to a total depth of about 7.5 metres and this is in the channel alone. So that, if this 10-metre project comes to par the cables would still be safe,” Dindyal added.
At a press conference on Monday, Dindyal said GPL is expected to commission the new Vreed-en-Hoop and Edinburgh, West Coast Demerara substations next month, along with the expanded Kingston substation, the submarine cable, and the 21-kilometre transmission line system between Vreed-en-Hoop and Edinburgh.
This, he said, will increase the quality of power supplied to West Demerara consumers. “So with these facilities commissioned, we are now in the position to move bulk power from East to West Demerara and of course, we are able to deploy to West Coast now. Instead of one feeder feeding all the consumers from Versailles to Roden Rust on the East Bank of Essequibo, a total of six feeders [will be used].
In the current arrangement, three will be utilised so the quality and reliability will be automatically improved,” he said. In addition to the Vreed-en-Hoop and Edinburgh substations, substations are being constructed at Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, North Ruimveldt and Sophia.
“On that new plot of land, which is just over 15 acres, we have a section reserved for the hydro substation; in fact, the 230kb hydro substation is expected to be constructed there to be interconnected to our new 69kb substation currently under construction,” Dindyal revealed.

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