GPL investing in technology to enhance operations

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, November 16, 2017

The Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) is investing monies into establishing a Geographic Information System (GIS) to improve management of its assets in Anna Regina, Demerara and Corriverton and other areas across the country.

Vijay Datadin, Information Technology Director, GPL.

Information Technology Director, GPL, Vijay Datadin explained to the Department of Public Information (DPI) that GPL’s operations are dispersed across the country so the GIS will greatly enhance the power company’s ability to service delivery.

“The GIS will help us to have an easier grasp of things than previously, from figuring out our maintenance schedules to figuring out where things are and the distances between things. Some of that was done manually and that takes time, it will be better to have an information system that can do this for you,” Datadin explained.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface. By relating seemingly unrelated data, GIS can help individuals and organisations better understand spatial patterns and relationships.

The system is currently being constructed at GPL’s main office at Main Street and will be accessible to other offices when completed. The IT Director noted that “we are putting in place the means to capture the data, the manner in which we would process it, which would be as automated as possible because it’s a lot of data and we’re also putting in place a way to distribute that data out to our staff firstly so our staff, managers, and directors can make better decisions based on current information.”

Datadin disclosed the IT division in collaboration with the Customer Services has been working on a few projects to improve service of the power company. One of these is the recently launched SMS Freedom, which is an easy-to-use facility that allows customers to retrieve their current electricity bill information.

The two divisions plan to shortly unveil several other new projects.

 

By: Ranetta La Fleur

 

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