The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) says it is concerned about “ongoing insinuations by GWI that all power problems affecting [its] operations relate to the supply side.”
The power company issued this statement in response to claims by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) that the recent water shortage that occurred at Bath Settlement was due to power fluctuations. GPL said its investigations into the problems at Bath revealed that GWI encountered impeller problems with the pump which is driven by a 415V, 50HP motor and replaced it with a pump driven by a 60HP, 380V motor. GPL said it was not contacted to assist in increasing the supply voltage from the transformer.
The power company contends that GWI should have known that the 380V motor would have encountered voltage problems and should have made contact with it for assistance. “When the inevitable crisis developed the insinuation seems to be that GPL’s supply is at fault,” the company said.
Further, GPL said in the recent past it took time to assist GWI in analyzing the source of some of its power quality problems which were “largely due to internal GWI power delivery bottlenecks rather than a GPL bulk supply deficiency.” GPL said it may be convenient for the water company to blame it for all power related problems but GWI had been advised repeatedly to develop a capability to solve simple electrical problems.
