Private contractors damaged power lines causing day-long blackout

A number of consumers have been without electricity for several hours on Tuesday after private contractors damaged power distribution lines causing a total shutdown of the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS), Guyana’s main power grid.

Many of those without electricity have aired their frustrations on social media, lamenting the poor quality of service provided by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar, in a Facebook post, however, explained that the power outage has been caused by private contractors.

“After many checks, we came to understand that private contractors operating excavators behind (the) Diamond Housing Scheme (caused) significant damage to the 69000 volts (69 kva) transmission line.

“This damage (caused) a feedback and a shutdown to Garden of Eden Plants and others,” Indar said on Tuesday afternoon.

Up to about 16:00 hrs, the minister said that engineers were working to restore power to the “thousands of persons” affected; a team was dispatched to the backlands to repair the damaged transmission line.

Meanwhile, GPL in a Facebook post shared early Tuesday afternoon said that power was being incrementally restored.