Electricity has been restored to Bartica and surrounding areas which were thrown into darkness following an explosion at the power station there yesterday, Regional Chairman Holbert Knights told this newspaper today.
According to Knights, electricity was restored sometime last night following round- the-clock work by personnel of the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) at its Bartica office.
“Electricity has been restored and as far as I can tell everything is back to normal,” Knights said this morning.
He said he was told it was a breaker that had tripped on Sunday morning causing a small explosion and plunging the Cuyuni/Mazaruni mining community into darkness. The breaker is one of three and engineers were successful in having the power restored with the use of the two remaining breakers.
Following the fire many persons, especially business people, were very concerned about what would have happened since a lot of them would have stocked up for the Christmas season. They were afraid that perishables that were purchased would have gone to waste.
Stabroek News understands that at around 4:30 am yesterday, a breaker tripped, triggering an explosion. Quick action by firemen from the recently commissioned fire station averted disaster when the explosion started a blaze. The firemen managed to contain the flames within the power station and residents said that had it not been for their quick action, the entire block may have gone up in flames.
This newspaper was told that following the fire, the shift supervisor, identified as Mr. Khan, was briefly admitted to the Bartica Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation but by afternoon he was at home resting.
In the wake of the explosion, businesspersons expressed concern. “I don’t know what will happen with all the things I buy for the season; now all will spoil on me hand,” one shop owner told this newspaper. He said many businesspersons, who do not have back-up generators, would lose “big time” if power is not restored soon. Even those with generators, the shop owner said, would find it difficult to sustain the operation of the engine, day and night.
Knight had pointed out that because it is now the festive season, many businesses have stocked up hoping to catch the Christmas sales and the power outage was a great setback for them.
He also noted that because gold prices are at an all-time high, there is more disposable income.
According to the regional chairman, recently the community, seen as the gateway to the mining fields, has been experiencing frequent blackouts and it was only last week Thursday that they started receiving uninterrupted electricity.
“Over the past few weeks we have been experiencing some serious blackouts, about four to six hours of blackout a day and this has been going on for more than a month,” he said.
Knights said he was told that the engine at the station needed new parts and these were taken up last week.
Meanwhile, one resident yesterday called for the regional authorities to take more interest in the community. “Is long we getting this blackout and nothing ent happening, these people need to take more time and do what needs to be done,” the irate sounding resident said.
