The Guyana Power & Light (GPL) yesterday said that it was not a power shortage from the company that caused the disruption of water supply, rather it was the damage done to a “pothead”, which is a vital component in the distribution system that takes power into the Shelter Belt compound.
A release from the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) had said on Monday that the disruption in the water supply for persons in central Georgetown, which started around midday on Monday and continued into yesterday, was caused by a GPL power shortage.
However, GPL said in a release issued yesterday that GWI’s engineers notified their counterparts at GPL on Monday of problems with the power supply and engineers from GPL responded promptly, identifying the source of the problem as the “pothead” which needed intricate work to reseal the protective covering that keeps out the natural elements.
“GWI was then expected to bring on stream the independent standby power generator inside the Shelter Belt compound to maintain the flow of water in the city,” the release said.
It further said that engineering staff from both entities have indeed been collaborating on the issue which involved the start-up of the Shelter Belt’s standby generator, which is also the normal procedure. However, the release said that GPL’s engineers have since sourced the necessary components to repair the “pothead” and commenced work yesterday morning; normal power supply was expected to be restored to the water facility by the end of yesterday.
