GPL transformer explosion causes DBIS shutdown

The Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) experienced shutdown on Thursday afternoon following an explosion on one of the transformers at the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara facility.
According to a statement from GPL, this occurred at approximately 14:22h. It explained that a 16.7MVA transformer at the Garden of Eden facility caught on fire, resulting in all power-generating units at that site shutting down.
“This loss of 27MWs (megawatts) caused a cascading effect, disrupting service to all customers in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS),” the power company stated.
GPL went on to outline that at the time of the interruption, the DBIS was generating approximately 132MW of power. Accordingly, the company’s engineers are executing a technical investigation to determine the root cause of the fire.
However, it was noted that remedial efforts to restore power commenced immediately thereafter with the first area being repowered at approximately 14:27h. Incremental restoration continued, and the final area was repowered at approximately 15:22h, the power company stated.
Only last month, the DBIS also suffered a shutdown after a transformer in Georgetown had tripped.
GPL disclosed that on the morning of June 13, while reclosing the F8 feeder at Kingston (which serves customers along Camp Street to Charlestown), the station transformer at the Kingston Power Plant tripped. This caused approximately 30 megawatts of generating capacity to go offline, which resulted in the shutdown of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System.
In less than 10 minutes, incremental restoration commenced in Demerara and Berbice. Power was restored to all areas in Berbice approximately two hours later. Most areas in Demerara were repowered in about three hours. However, parts of East Bank Essequibo did not receive power until six hours later when the second of the three generators at the Vreed-en-Hoop Power Plant was returned to operation. The third generator was undergoing scheduled maintenance.