– to fund GPL Loss Reduction, Management Project
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the European Union (EU) will be pumping some $1.6 billion into a new project at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), to help improve operations at the company’s management level and control of power loss.
Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry Annette Ferguson, briefing journalists on Thursday about the billion-dollar project, said its aim is to improve capacity building for the executive management of the power company.
“The other aspect will focus on the improvement in the loss reduction area. Currently, the loss reduction rate stands at just over 29 per cent and by 2020; we would sees a reduction in the technical losses by 23 per cent. This is what the 1.6 billion will utilise. With this money being released, we will see a more efficient and effective GPL, both at the management team and providing service to the public.
Meanwhile, speaking on the issue of loss reduction, Ferguson said her Ministry had advised the Board of Directors to carry out an audit on the Loss Reduction Unit of GPL. They are currently awaiting the findings. She said based on the recommendations, actions will be taken.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Joseph Harmon also speaking on the company’s technical losses said the power company is now seeking to expand its reach to unserved areas. According to him, there is widespread electricity theft, particularly in areas that are off the grid of the power company, and that is something that needs to be addressed.
“Because in our experience, electricity theft comes from some areas where people do not have full access to electricity so they run a line from one house to the next and then get to a post. So you have issue like that and it is something we cannot disregard that it is one aspect of the line loss and loss reduction exercise that will have to take place… So there are technical losses and losses due to human activity, which we have to deal with,” Harmon said.
Earlier this year, the power company had sent a stern warning to persons who were stealing electricity. It said that it had adopted a zero tolerance for such practice and warned that persons caught would be handed over to the Police.
