More reliable power for Region Six residents
Residents and business owners in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) will now have a more reliable supply of electricity with the operation of an automated regulating system, which will lessen power outages and low and high voltages.
Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI) at the commissioning of the Canefield 10 megawatts VAR substation upgrade on Thursday, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, MP, said the upgrade will grow the region’s economy.
He said the government has been receiving numerous complaints about power outages and low power supply, but with the upgrade to the Canefield substation, there will now be reliable power distribution which he stressed is critical to the manufacturing sector.
“Businesses need that because you have to refrigerate stuff, you have to keep your equipment running, all of your pumps, all your all your equipment that run on electricity. Reliable power is critical to not damaging those things, and you get a lot of that; we get a lot of complaints about low voltage … where it normally burns your equipment.”
Minister Indar added, “you also have the impact of GPL on GWI activities. So, the pumps require stable electricity for current flow. If you get a lot of high voltage, you damage the pumps and you get a water issue. So, that’s what reliable power means that you don’t have things to blow up your stuff or things that cause your stuff to damage.”
The automated system is integrated to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, SCADA. SCADA, is a software system that collects data from field devices for management and control purposes.
Minister Indar said the commissioning of the substation is integral to the government’s agenda of ensuring reliable and cheaper power. At the substation, the voltage level Guyana Power and Light (GPL) customers receive, can be properly regulated electronically, which will reduce the likelihood of power fluctuation.
Similar systems will be installed at GPL’s power stations at Sophia, Edinburg and Good Hope.
While the commissioning of the Canefield Substation will eliminate some of the electricity woes in the region, Minister Indar admitted that GPL, in the short-term, is working to maintain dilapidated lines to decrease the frequent blackouts.