Toolbox

Power company unveils new meter testers

The Guyana Power & Light Inc (GPL) announced yesterday that it recently acquired two Spin Lab Bird Dog Analyzers (Mobile Test Bench) that allow laboratory-standard tests of meters to be done in the field.

GPL technician Bridgelall Rooplall demonstrating how new meter testing equipment works. (See story on page 11.) (Jules Gibson photo)

GPL technician Bridgelall Rooplall demonstrating how new meter testing equipment works. (Jules Gibson photo)

Director of GPL’s loss reduction programme Samaroo Ramtahal at yesterday’s briefing/demonstrative session at the utility’s Middle Street office said such equipment will employ very accurate field tests to determine whether a meter is under or over-recording. Moreover, such technology will have the capacity to instantly print a report premised on the findings of the test which will be discussed with the consumer.

Such information will moreover be downloaded into GPL’s data base. Consumers have complained frequently in the past about over-recording and the utility on the other hand has voiced concerns about meters being tampered with to give lower readings.

GPL says that these instruments will facilitate the testing of all types of meters including the single-type phase, three-phase, electronic and electro- mechanical meters.

It was contended that this innovation will assist significantly in the prevention of electricity theft which has constituted a formidable impediment to the operations of GPL.

Also, customers whose meters are found to be over-recording, will see their accounts receiving the appropriate credits. Thus, Ramtahal posited, the goal behind technology acquisition was improved customer service.

However, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, retired Justice Prem Persaud who attended yesterday’s media briefing criticised the proceedings positing that the briefing/demonstrative session should have been open to the general public and the consumers groups in the thrust to promote greater involvement and awareness.

CEO of GPL Bharrat Dindyal who also briefed the media, addressed the issue of fires that are allegedly due to the quality of GPL’s supply. Dindyal stated that invariably such fires are caused by faults associated with the wiring of the home which is the responsibility of the proprietor of that home.

This diagnosis was followed by the recommendation by commissioner of the Public Utilities Commission, John Caesar that GPL could assist in the certification of these homes.

Comments

About Comments

We reserve the right to edit/delete comments for length, any libel and taste. We moderate all comments so be patient while your message waits to be approved.
Curious about the little images next to each commenter's name ? Go here and sign up using the same email address you used to register for Stabroeknews.com then upload your image and confirm it.
We recognized that the registration process was troublesome to some users. So now in addition to being able to fully register and subscribe with a username and password, you can also comment on the articles by simply entering a name and email address. If you are a frequent commenter, you will want to login so you don’t have to re-type your name and email address everytime you make a comment.

5 Responses to “Power company unveils new meter testers”

darcman
on July 23rd, 2008 9:13 am

Many parts of Guyana suffers form freqrent blackouts and low sheading. Instead GPL is now focusing on meter testing. Guyana offers so little to their citizens, no wonder migration is almost first on the minds of citizens.

[Reply to this]
dak1530
on July 23rd, 2008 11:24 am

Yeah!!! RIght!!!

[Reply to this]
La vie est bonne!
on July 23rd, 2008 1:11 pm

Can the poor and honest hard working people hope that the new meters are calibrated accurately and will not force them to pay astronomical amounts to the GPL.

[Reply to this]
miltonbruce
on July 23rd, 2008 1:29 pm

Just got word via telephone that there is blackout (once again) in North Ruimveldt now for over twenty four hours, which has also destroyed my friends computer. Who pays for the repairs? guess who. What a useless company!

[Reply to this]
d_rambharose
on July 23rd, 2008 9:48 pm

GPL = Get Plenty Lamps!!

[Reply to this]