Prime Minister Mark Phillips has disclosed that the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) Garden of Eden power plant is expected to be back in full operation in two weeks.
“They’re in the process of bringing back online those generators, so just in maybe another week or two weeks, all those generators will be back online,” the Prime Minister is quoted as saying in a report published by the Department of Public Information (DPI).
On January 14, GPL was was forced to shut down its power plant to undergo an emergency mechanical inspection at the facility.
Chief Executive Officer of GPL, Bharrat Dindyal had explained to reporters that the heavy fuel which is being used at the plant is getting into the exhaust system. This prompted officials to shut down the five Wärtsilä generators that only started operating late last year.
“If we continue to operate, there is a chance that the fuel accumulates in the turbocharger, you could have a big explosion. You could destroy the engine, it could kill people in the vicinity so the decision was taken to immediately shut the plant down,” he had reasoned.
Reports indicate that GPL is still exploring what triggered the issues with the generators.
Dindyal had explained in another section of the media that one of the five generators at the plant had been dismantled and upgraded. That modified generator, he stated, was powered up on Sunday alongside another generator that had not received any upgrades.
This was done to compare the performance of the two generators, as part of efforts geared at identifying what triggered the plant’s shutdown.
President Dr Irfaan Ali, after the incident occurred, made it clear that Wartsila will be held accountable for the work they have done. “So, they have to fix it and they have to get it up and running,” he had said.
The President explained that the Attorney General and GPL will be reviewing the contract signed with the company. Added to that, President Ali said once there are penalties included in the contract, they will be applied.
