GPL’s 46.5-megawatt power generation plant set for mid-August finish

-PM says Government will not sacrifice efficiency for expediency

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, today conducted an on-site inspection of the 46.5-megawatt power generation plant being constructed by Wärtsilä, at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Garden of Eden Power Station.

It is expected that the plant will begin its testing phase in early June and will become fully operational a few months after.

The Prime Minister said that although there was extensive work done since his last visit in October 2020, the Government understands that the project’s original date of completion would not be met. He pointed out that the main objective is to give Guyanese a quality product and indicated that efficiency will not be sacrificed for expediency.

“We have to work with the contractor to ensure that what is delivered here to the people of Guyana is in keeping with the same high standard, quality and reputation that Wärtsilä has internationally… A lot of work has been done, but the work has been affected negatively by COVID-19 and the weather conditions”.

As a result, the project which was scheduled to be completed by the end of June, will now be finished in August.

The Prime Minister had said that the project was a part of the Government’s plan for reliable electricity and will greatly enhance the consistency of electric power in the Demerara – Berbice Interconnected System.

TESTING

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Honourable Deodat Indar, who accompanied the Prime Minister, said that the new power generation facility is the biggest project in terms of single location generating capacity.

“There are two parts of the project which will cause the extra delay, which are the transformers and the fuel tank, we have an alternative arrangement for fuel, because we have an existing facility here, but the plant itself will be testing during June and July… we want to make sure that when the project comes fully on stream there will be no issues, because it’s the biggest project in terms of single location generating capacity”.