| …over 130 homes connectedAll infrastructural works have been completed in preparation to connect one of Guyana’s largest squatter settlements to the national power grid. Just over 130 households have already been electrified.But the beneficiaries, the residents of Angoy’s Avenue, have registered their dissatisfaction with the slothful pace in which the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has been progressing with works to connect their homes.Contrary to the hopes of many, including Prime Minister Sam Hinds, the majority of the 4,000 residents of Angoy’s Avenue did not receive electricity for the Christmas holidays. Many homes have been wired and residents are anxiously awaiting electrification,cheap nfl jerseys online, but are losing patience with the power company.But Loss Reduction Coordinator attached to the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) Berbice Operations, Mr. Phalyanjee Nandkumar, said, yesterday, that GPL is not at fault.He said that just over 35 residents applied for electricity services between December 15 and December 20, (the timeframe given by the government for residents to apply for electricity if they wanted to receive power for Christmas), and that the company’s metering department can only act on applications that have been submitted and verified by the Ministry of Housing and Water.He noted that while new applications are being made every single day by residents of Angoy’s Avenue, the hold-up in the processing is mainly due to the verification of the applications which has to be done by the Commercial Department.“We verify that the customers live there and we want to verify that the exact consumer lives there (at the service address). So that’s the process,” he said.Since the installation process began in late December,wholesale jerseys, more than 130 applications were dealt with and households connected to the grid. The connection crew, he said,NFL Jerseys Outlet, is working feverishly to connect residents.He said that more than 150 would have been completed to date, but the holidays stepped in. “We weren’t able to complete it.” The crews stopped working on December 31, 2014 but resumed work on Tuesday.One resident, Megan Phillips in Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, stood in her yard and looked on with interest as her neighbour on the opposite side of the road was being connected. She related that she, like many other residents, wired her home since last month, paid and is awaiting connectivity.While dispelling the notions about shortages of pre- paid and post- paid meters, Nandkumar did say that the company does not have a supply of some categories of pre-paid and post-paid meters.Applicants who need such meters will have their applications put on hold until the company receives a supply shortly, he added.“Each and every consumer will have electricity in Angoy’s Avenue, but that is not the only scheme,” he said. Nandkumar said that the company also has to screen applications from households in newly- developed housing schemes across Berbice, including Number 76 Village, Corentyne; Fort Ordnance; Glasgow; Bath; Mahaica and Mahaicony.“We have to spread ourselves out—basically we are concentrating on Number 76 Housing Scheme and Angoy’s Avenue.”“As we get the meters and service orders, we do our jobs, so there is no victimization.” he stated. Nandkumar said that there is no payment attached to the installation of electricity, save for the extra feet of wire. A maximum length of 60 feet is provided free of charge by GPL, while the customer would have to pay from 61 feet and above; “that’s a must—because that’s extra line and exceeds the 60- feet length.”The official said that the company has embarked on a massive connection drive to power-up new Housing Schemes across East and West Berbice, with Number 76 Village Housing Scheme, receiving electricity for the first time.Phase Two of the electrification drive has commenced in the schemes mentioned as well. “We did massive upgrades at Drill, Mahaicony as well,” he said.He added that the company is also embarking on its Defected Meter Programme, whereby customers can have their old meters changed, free of cost. “Those who have defective meters, we will change it.”“Our company is working furiously to bring all these minor issues to a close,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China,” he added. Nandkumar said that since its introduction some time ago, the pre- paid meter is still not hitting the Berbice market as hopes would have had it. Over 90 per cent of GPL customers in Berbice, he said, still have the post- paid meters.He did say, though, that there are a lot of applications for a change from post-paid to pre-paid, but the company cannot handle the load right now since it is giving priority to new installations in the various housing schemes. He asked for patience from those customers.The network,NFL Jerseys Outlet From China, he added, is strong and durable enough to cater for the newly-added customers. This year, the company plans to continue expanding its electrification drive in Kilcoy Chesney Housing Scheme, Bath, and a few others along East Coast Demerara.He added, too,http://www.footlockershop.us.com/Kalalau/, that more rice mills are joining the GPL power grid, “so we have power available to boost to supply those consumers.”At present, between 18 and 19 Megawatts are available in the Berbice system, while the system is interconnected with Demerara. “The entire network from Parika to Moleson Creek is linked,” he added. Power is also being received from the Skeldon Sugar Factory. |
