The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) is moving ahead with plans for a new electricity substation in Georgetown following an agreement with the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) for the proposed transfer of municipal land at Princes Street.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two entities, approximately 0.97 acres of vacant land is expected to be conveyed to GPL for the construction and operation of a 69kV/13.8kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) Substation.
The transfer remains subject to the required statutory approvals and completion of the conveyance process.
The agreement will also see GPL and City Hall address outstanding monies owed to each other.
GPL is expected to determine outstanding electricity charges owed by the municipality for its buildings and street lighting, where applicable. At the same time, the M&CC will calculate rates and taxes owed by GPL for its properties and locations.
The State Valuation Department of the Ministry of Finance will determine the value of the Princes Street property. That amount will then be credited against the reconciled financial balance between the two entities.
The respective sums owed will be offset and GPL and City Hall will agree on a net settlement. Any remaining balance will be dealt with under terms agreed by both sides.
The proposed Princes Street facility forms part of GPL’s wider transmission and distribution expansion programme and is expected to strengthen the electricity network and improve grid reliability.
Head of GPL’s Executive Management Committee, Kesh Nandlall, said the location is considered important to the company’s infrastructure development within Georgetown.
“Princes Street is a central location where we want to establish a Substation, which will be interconnected with the existing New Georgetown Substation & Kingston Substation,” Nandlall said.
The MoU was signed by Nandlall and Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore. GPL Director Ryan Ross, Deputy Mayor Denise Miller, Town Clerk Candace Nelson and other representatives of the two entities were also present.
GPL has been undertaking investments across the country aimed at modernising and expanding its transmission and distribution network.
