Company eyes reconnection of severed cable within days

Damaged GPL submarine cable

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has commenced remedial work on its damaged 69-Kilovolt (kV) submarine cable across the Demerara River, with the company’s technical people and Chinese consultants working towards reconnecting the cable in a matter of days.

The cable, which links the Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston substations, was damaged late last month by a vessel’s anchor. GPL had said on Saturday that technicians carried out preliminary inspections, with the repairs expected to be completed on or before Christmas Day.
On Wednesday, the power company’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Samaroo Ramtahal provided an update to the media on the repairs. He noted that consultants from the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) are working on splicing the cable.
“So far, from Sunday to date, we’re struggling to lift the other end at Vreed-en-Hoop. There are two ends of the cable that burst. One end from Kingston, we managed last Sunday to raise that on the barge,” Ramtahal explained. “And since Sunday to date, we’re working on raising the Vreed-en-Hoop side of the cable so that we can have the Chinese company splice the cables together.
“So, we’re hoping that in another five, six days, once we get the Vreed-en-Hoop side of the cable to raise, then we’ll be able to do the splicing within five, six days.”
In a statement last month, GPL had stated that the risk of short-term outages had increased as the two systems are operating without the 69 kV interconnection.
Meanwhile, the company has said it would be providing emergency services to customers. This will be done through its Transmission and Distribution emergency crews, contractors and 24-hour call centre staff, who are available to effect emergency services where necessary. Additionally, GPL-mobilised Rapid Response Teams would address fault reports.
The 69 kV cable was recently damaged by a vessel in the Demerara River, following which GPL had announced that while the best option would be to rebury the cable at a suitable depth, the necessary dredging equipment would have to be sourced.
GPL had nevertheless explained that a meeting was held with MARAD and a number of “Measures to Prevent Recurrence of Vessels Damaging GPL’s 69kV Submarine Cable”, short-term preventative steps that can be immediately implemented, were agreed upon.
The steps include creating an additional 200m buffer zone on either side of the cable crossing, the details of which will be published to mariners. Additionally, MARAD agreed to reinforce bridge watches, which would see vessels at assigned mooring points having an officer on watch.
In June and August 2019, GPL had to conduct remedial works on the 69 kV submarine cable after the armour and insulation protection of the cable, which extends to the conductors, was damaged at two locations by vessels traversing the Demerara River.
The 69 kV cable, which rests along the upper Demerara River within proximity of Craig, East Bank Demerara, was dislodged by a barge sailing along the Demerara River in June.
Due to the extent of the damages, two repair kits had to be sourced from CMC, the company that first laid the cable in 2012. (G3)