MARAD puts mariners on guard for GPL’s cable laying project
Contractors laying the cable at Princess Street, Georgetown and across the Demerara River in June of this year (GPL images)
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) in a notice dated August 5, 2019, informed that the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated commenced a cable-laying exercise on Wednesday across the Demerara River, but the power company has denied.
In a public notice published in Guyana Times on Wednesday, the Maritime Department said it “hereby notifies all vessels calling Port Georgetown and those within the port that the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) will undertake submarine cable burial activities across the Demerara River”.
The notice further informed, “this operation which will be conducted from their Kingston, Georgetown facility, would commence on August 7, 2019 for a period of 12 days and will incorporate the use of the M/T Mindy Lynn, M/T Red Dawn, D/B Gaico Marine and D/B Gaico Marine 2”.
As such, the Department warned mariners to pay heed to the navigational signals while moving along this route. It also asked that mariners contact the VHF Ch 16 or via Georgetown Lighthouse if required.
Although this is the case, the Public Relations Officer of the power company, Shevion Sears, told this newspaper that the works are scheduled to happen, but GPL is not certain when this will take place.
“It is scheduled to happen, but the date that they published, which is today (Wednesday), is inaccurate. They are still discussing (when works will begin) so we don’t know as yet,” she explained.
When asked if works will be done on the same Kingston to Vreed-en-Hoop cable, she responded in the affirmative. “It’s the same line,” Sears added.
On June 15, GPL informed that remedial works to rectify the damaged submarine cable across the Demerara River linking the Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston power plants were completed.
The cable 69kV submarine cable laid on the river bed along the channel of the Demerara River, and connecting its Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston Power Stations, was the first cable to be damaged.
GPL had warned that residents along the West Bank and West Coast of Demerara may not be relieved of power failures just yet.
Last month, a credible source at GPL related that it is awaiting a “part” to rectify that submarine cable.
The 13.8kV submarine 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 on June 6, 2019.
