Excavator damages GPL infrastructure at Hampton Court, disrupting power supply in Reg. 2

See full statement from the Guyana Power and Light Inc.:

At approximately 10:10 hrs today, an excavator came into contact with GPL’s eelectricity network at Hampton Court Village, Region Two, resulting in a service interruption affecting a large number of customers within the region.

Following an assessment, GPL’s technical teams determined that the excavator caused damage to critical network infrastructure, triggering the interruption to electricity supply. The operator of the excavator reportedly fled the scene before GPL’s teams arrived. Investigations conducted thus far have identified the owner of the equipment as Mr. Jared Lawrie of Wild Oats Civil and Mechanical Engineering.

Repowering efforts commenced immediately following the interruption, with GPL’s teams working diligently to safely restore electricity supply to affected customers. Restoration progressed steadily until all affected customers were successfully repowered at approximately 11:06 hrs.

GPL has since commenced a formal investigation into the incident and the circumstances surrounding the damage to its network. Additionally, a report has been lodged with the relevant Police Station, and the responsible parties will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for damages caused to GPL’s infrastructure.

GPL reminds contractors and members of the public that any excavation, construction or heavy-duty operations near the company’s transmission and distribution infrastructure must be coordinated with GPL to ensure safety and protect the reliability of the electricity network. Unauthorized or unsafe activities near GPL’s infrastructure can result in service disruptions, damage to critical assets and pose serious risks to public safety.

GPL apologises for the inconvenience caused and thanks customers for their patience and understanding during the restoration process.