Major power outage in Bartica as 3 GPL generators shutdown

Residents of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) were on Monday afternoon left without electricity for approximately 8 hours following the shutdown of three of the four Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Bartica power plant generators.
GPL Inc. on Monday stated: “The Guyana Power and Light wishes to apologise to our valued customers in Bartica for the recent service interruptions. The Bartica Power Plant has four engines: two are required to meet the demand, while two serves as a standby unit. Unfortunately, we have only one operational engine in conjunction with the solar farm.”
The unavailability of the three critical units significantly reduced the plant’s power producing capabilities, which resulted in a ripple effect leaving communities across Bartica without electricity. Moreover, GPL has assured the residents of Bartica that power will be restored in all communities by today.
It said: “Customers from Agatash North, Byderabo Front Road, 1st Avenue South, 1st to 9th Street and 1st to 3rd Avenue North will experience an interruption in your service at from 15:00hrs – 23:00hrs.”
Customers from Agatash South, Dog Point, One to Five Mile Potaro and West Indian Housing Scheme will be repowered from approximately 15:00hrs to 19:00h.
Customers from Mongrippa Hill, Byderabo Back Road, Carribese Hill, Old Housing, Bamford Point 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, Avenue South, 4th to 7th Avenue North will be repowered from approximately 19:00hrs – 23:00hrs”
Meanwhile, in an invited comment the Mayor of Bartica, Anthony Murray revealed that power outages are not a common occurrence in the town. He noted that one of the backup generators at the plant was inoperable prior to the power outage, which would have contributed to the disruption of power. On this point the mayor revealed plans to ensure the steady supply of power in the region.
“We have four sets of generators along with the solar farm, one of the generators went down a while ago, so we had the three that was working, I think once the generator which was down a while now is restored that will take care of any future problems, so that is the plan they had instore also to keep the machines well kept and serviced and they (GPL) are currently thinking about bringing in two more backup generators to aid in situations like these,” the mayor stated.
Additionally, the Mayor was adamant that the power outage would not significantly affect businesses which operate in the region, particularly large enterprises.
“Most of the big businesses would normally equip themselves with standby generators, so they will have those kicking in once GPL has an interruption of power supply and of course the smaller businesses learn to work with the schedule, they have been given a notice because the disruption doesn’t last too long,” the mayor asserted.