Critical submarine cable for GPL arrives - CEO insists Chinese-made equipment meet int’l standards
February 2, 2012 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Source - Kaieteur News
GPL’s CEO, Bharat Dindyal (2nd left) and Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, (3rd from right) witness the offloading of transmission equipment and a critical submarine cable that will enhance the current power links between East and West Demerara.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Bharat Dindyal, were among several other top brass at the GNIC wharf yesterday to witness the offloading of several million dollars worth in equipment for the power company as part of a US$42M upgrade to the electrical system.
Media operatives on hand to witness the arrival of the equipment, which will be distributed across the grid linking several new substations, were also informed that the significant submarine cable was also a part of the cargo shipped to Guyana.
Dindyal told media operatives that four cargo vessels have been chartered to ship the equipment and apparatus to the local shores.
As part of the upgrade to the national grid, seven brand new substations are being built along with the installation of some 100 kilometers of 69KV transmission lines.
Dindyal said that yesterday’s shipment included several of the substation disconnect and earthen switches.
The submarine cable that Dindyal mentioned will facilitate the connection from West Demerara to Kingston over on the eastern bank of the Demerara River.
This cable is said to weigh over 100 tonnes. The old cable linking the Garden of Eden power facilities on the East Bank Demerara to West Demerara, has been proving a problem with complaints that it is not capable of taking more load.
GPL is also slated to receive nine power transformers and the company is now targeting mid- February for the arrival of all the equipment.
The equipment will require specialty skills and equipment to install and will also require the dredging of the Demerara river to sink it as well as ensure clearance for ocean going vessels. Dindyal indicated that the power company is working with a separate contractor to dredge the crossing. The power company is taking care to ensure the dredging takes into account future works of a similar nature, he added.
Speaking to criticisms surrounding the use of Chinese-made equipment that some have described as substandard, Dindyal stressed that, “in the specifications of this project we have used North American and European standards.”
He explained that the equipment being supplied by the Chinese have to satisfy those minimum standards imposed by the developed world and as such the equipment are not of a substandard nature.
“As you know, China has come a very far way in complying with these standards.”
He said that GPL in their specifications used the best of the North-American standards for the pieces of equipment to be supplied.
Dindyal did indicate that as it relates to standards, the power company is expecting its supervising engineers to arrive from Canada shortly after which all of the apparatus that have arrived will undergo a rigorous testing phase.
He explained that given the nature of the pieces of equipment being used, there was the possibility of them sustaining damages during shipping and as such will have to undergo testing to satisfy the international testing standards.
“Contractually they have until September next year to finish everything but their work programme is saying June they should finish,” said Dindyal when asked about the timeline that the power company is working with in relation to finishing all of the works, inclusive of testing and installation.
February 2, 2012 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Source - Kaieteur News
GPL’s CEO, Bharat Dindyal (2nd left) and Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, (3rd from right) witness the offloading of transmission equipment and a critical submarine cable that will enhance the current power links between East and West Demerara.Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Bharat Dindyal, were among several other top brass at the GNIC wharf yesterday to witness the offloading of several million dollars worth in equipment for the power company as part of a US$42M upgrade to the electrical system.
Media operatives on hand to witness the arrival of the equipment, which will be distributed across the grid linking several new substations, were also informed that the significant submarine cable was also a part of the cargo shipped to Guyana.
Dindyal told media operatives that four cargo vessels have been chartered to ship the equipment and apparatus to the local shores.
As part of the upgrade to the national grid, seven brand new substations are being built along with the installation of some 100 kilometers of 69KV transmission lines.
Dindyal said that yesterday’s shipment included several of the substation disconnect and earthen switches.
The submarine cable that Dindyal mentioned will facilitate the connection from West Demerara to Kingston over on the eastern bank of the Demerara River.
This cable is said to weigh over 100 tonnes. The old cable linking the Garden of Eden power facilities on the East Bank Demerara to West Demerara, has been proving a problem with complaints that it is not capable of taking more load.
GPL is also slated to receive nine power transformers and the company is now targeting mid- February for the arrival of all the equipment.
The equipment will require specialty skills and equipment to install and will also require the dredging of the Demerara river to sink it as well as ensure clearance for ocean going vessels. Dindyal indicated that the power company is working with a separate contractor to dredge the crossing. The power company is taking care to ensure the dredging takes into account future works of a similar nature, he added.
Speaking to criticisms surrounding the use of Chinese-made equipment that some have described as substandard, Dindyal stressed that, “in the specifications of this project we have used North American and European standards.”
He explained that the equipment being supplied by the Chinese have to satisfy those minimum standards imposed by the developed world and as such the equipment are not of a substandard nature.
“As you know, China has come a very far way in complying with these standards.”
He said that GPL in their specifications used the best of the North-American standards for the pieces of equipment to be supplied.
Dindyal did indicate that as it relates to standards, the power company is expecting its supervising engineers to arrive from Canada shortly after which all of the apparatus that have arrived will undergo a rigorous testing phase.
He explained that given the nature of the pieces of equipment being used, there was the possibility of them sustaining damages during shipping and as such will have to undergo testing to satisfy the international testing standards.
“Contractually they have until September next year to finish everything but their work programme is saying June they should finish,” said Dindyal when asked about the timeline that the power company is working with in relation to finishing all of the works, inclusive of testing and installation.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds speaking to media operatives at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation Wharf, Lombard Street. Also in photo is Chairman of GNIC, Glen Khan, and Chief Executive Officer, Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc., Bharrat Dindyal
Containers on the Guyana National Industrial Corporation’s wharf, that contain the 69 KV sub-station switches