GPL CEO committed to improving quality of service
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL), Mr. Bharat Dindyal has said the company’s immediate goal is to improve the quality of service to consumers.
In an interview with DPI today, Mr. Dindyal said while GPL is “playing catch-up with the provision of service,” he anticipates that on completion of the 46.5-megawatt power plant it will reach its power generation capacity target.
The project is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021 at a cost of approximately $10.4 billion (US$52 million). This is the GPL’s largest power plant to date.
“This 46.5 megawatts is going to be added to our base load engines so this is reliable capacity. [It] will now displace all the old suspect capacity we previously depended on.”
Some $8.2 billion (US$41 million) has already been spent on the project. Mr. Dindyal disclosed that while there were unforeseen delays, systems have been put in place to get back on schedule. He said the five engines are scheduled to be placed onto their individual foundations in a few days. Once this is done, additional auxiliary work would have to be completed before they are fully installed and operational.
The CEO has also started engaging the technical team on plans to upgrade the networking system.
“The whole approach to our network inspection, the development of our defect list, how we approach maintenance would have to be radically transformed in 2021 because we don’t want to be in a situation in December 2021 when we’re approaching Christmas and we’re completely exposed as we are today.”
To ensure that the company meets the Christmas demand, earlier this month, it imported six new generating systems valued US$2.5 million to boost the capacity of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS). The sets were dispatched to Sophia, Canefield, Onverwagt and the Anna Regina sub-stations.
Mr. Dindyal added that the company is exploring a range of initiatives to improve its customer service.
Mr. Dindyal was reappointed CEO on December 7. He first served as GPL CEO from 2006 to 2015.