The Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) and the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) have announced new measures to prevent the reoccurrence of damage to GPL’s 69Kv Submarine Cable which links the Kingston and Vreed-en-Hoop Substations.
During a meeting on Tuesday, the two entities agreed to four short-term preventative measures, three of which will be done immediately.
It was agreed to create an additional 200m buffer zone on either side of the cable crossing and to publish the necessary notification to Mariners – This should enable additional time for intervention should a vessel break its moorings; reinforce the existing regulation on bridge watch – Vessels moored at the assigned mooring points are required to have an Officer on watch continuously.
Additionally, GPL would be incorporated into the policing loop utilizing it around the clock security presence at Kingston that overlooks the cable crossing. Relevant information will be shared with GPL’s security personnel via radio and telephone to facilitate this endeavor. Tugs will also be engaged to intervene should a vessel require assistance – This initiative would not be implemented immediately but eventually and would serve multiple purposes.
“GPL wishes to assure the people of Guyana that we are committed to providing reliable electricity to our valued customers,” the Power Company said Tuesday.
Further, it was agreed that a solution to its existing challenge would be to bury the submarine cable to a suitable depth to cater for an ultimate channel draught of 10 meters.
“To achieve this would require suitable dredging equipment capable of not only operating to the required depth but to be able to cut the hard coropina (clay) that is being encountered in the channel (riverbed). Unfortunately, suitable dredging equipment is not available locally,” GPL said in a statement.
The Power Company said that it is working on the logistics of getting the equipment to site, even as additional measures are being implemented to police the cable until it is permanently and fully secured.
