When the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) becomes responsible for Linden’s power supply residents will likely see higher rates.
This is according to GPL’s Divisional Director of Operations Elwyn Marshall, who was at the time delivering remarks at the opening of a five-day workshop for network technicians in Linden yesterday. According to Marshall, the takeover is inevitable. “…With hydro being touted and all the rest of it, when the power will be coming from way up in the interior passing through Linden going into town, it seems to make sense that you got one authority that is responsible for all the transmission and distribution,” he said.
Marshall said he was not aware of a set timeline for the takeover or what the cost for consumption will be for domestic and commercial purposes. However, he was certain that Linden residents would have to pay higher rates. He noted that since the latter days of the Linmine operations, there were talks about instituting a more realistic rate for residents and businesses alike. “Right now, with the low rate government subsidises electricity at Linden to a large sum of money,” he pointed out.
Marshall said that if or when the takeover materialises, considerations would, however, be given to ensuring that the new rates are reasonable. “That is a decision I would not be able to comment on; that would be for the commercial people and the government,” he said, while pointing out that he doubted that any takeover is on the agenda before hydropower generation systems come on stream.
Currently, in Linden power generation is controlled by the bauxite mining company Bosai and is sold to the Linden Electricity Company Inc. (LECI). While LECI controls distribution on the Mackenzie shore, it sells power to the Linden Utility Services Coop Society Limited, which in turns services residents and businesses on the Wismar shore. The rate charged at Mackenzie is $5 and $12 for domestic and commercial use, respectively, while those at Wismar pay $7 and $14 for same. Government’s subsidy on an annual basis fluctuates but does not go below $2 billion a year.
The certificate training programme is being done by GPL and the LECI to upgrade the capacities of LECI’s technical workers. Among those who were participating in the workshop are senior managers, including Patrick Dublin, Colin Spencer, Avery Trim and Shannon McKenzie along with approximately 15 junior technical workers. The participants were told that their level of awareness and technical skill is no less than that of their fellow tradesmen in GPL but upgrades are necessary.
