Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 18, 2018 News
Government is defending the delay in permission for operation of a wind turbine in Berbice.
The turbine was imported last year for use by Classic International Hotel, Corriverton, Berbice.
Last week, the hotel in a statement, complained that although erected and ready to go, authorities have not given permission, despite several meetings and correspondence.
The turbine has been placed in Skeldon, a few miles away from the hotel, which was open with much fanfare last year.
Management indicated that they are frustrated. They said that the investment was made in response to the Government’s calls for alternative energy and for the greening of the country’s economy.
The frustration is forcing the hotel management to now contemplate taking down the turbine and shipping it back to India.
Classic Hotel was thinking of giving some of the power to the Demerara and Berbice grid and in return, receive the credit for what it would use.
However, according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, the matter is more than what meets the eye.
“The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MOPI), and by extension the Government of Guyana (GoG), applauds the proprietor of Classic International Hotel, Mr. Shamnarine Narine, for his supposed interest in pushing for a “Green State” and in contributing to the national grid,” the Minister said in a statement.
“However, it is disappointing to read Mr. Narine’s claim of non-responsive on the part of the GoG (Government of Guyana) when several correspondence from different agencies within MPI were sent to him.”
Patterson said he had met with Narine in the past concerning this matter.
In April 2017, the Ministry and its energy-related agencies were “surprised” to read reports in the media of the launch of Mr. Narine’s hotel and wind turbine.
“We were also surprised at his mention of a request to MPI, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), or the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) for its installation and use, since the wind turbine was designed, procured, and installed without our knowledge. Nonetheless, we replied shortly afterwards and indicated that, under the law, any person can self-generate.”
However, it was also pointed out that the law only restricts persons from supplying power to another, except in cases where a licence is granted by the Minister.
“We also invited Mr. Narine to meet with us to clarify any questions and to provide whatever assistance we reasonably could. In September 2017, Mr. Narine wrote GPL to introduce his wind turbine, which, according to him, can generate 350 KVA of power, but of which only 20 percent can be utilised by his hotel.”
The Minister said that on October 17, 2017, Narine briefed him via a letter on his 300 kW wind turbine, which would become operational at the end of the said month.
“In this correspondence, Mr. Narine shared that only 50 kW of the generation capacity was required by the hotel and, as a result, he would be willing to offer the excess 250 kW to the national grid.”
According to Narine, the wind turbine had been procured with the intention of powering a housing development project.
“However, this project did not materialise, thereby leaving Mr. Narine with the under-utilisation of power and the issue of storing the excess power. However, GPL’s existing frameworks cover the connection to its grid of either independent power producers (IPPs) supplying 10 MW and more or businesses supplying 1.5 MW and above.”
Patterson said that Narine was advised that it was not possible at this time for an individual to connect to the grid unless the supply met the minimum of 1.5 MW.
“He was further advised that GPL was limited due to ongoing development of a policy, and legal and technical frameworks to permit and guide supply that is less than 1.5 MW and the sensitive technical issues affecting any supply of power of an intermittent nature (such as wind or solar) to the grid.”
However, the Minister said, despite this, it was agreed to examine Narine’s proposal with GPL with the objective of identifying and addressing the technical issues while the framework for intermittent power supply below 1.5 MW to the grid was being developed.
“On January 22, 2018, a letter from Mr. Narine to His Excellency, President David Granger, stated that the wind turbine could not operate without a connection to GPL’s grid, as per the advice of engineers from India who came to Guyana, upon Mr. Narine’s invitation, for the turbine’s commissioning.
On the said date, Mr. Narine wrote to me, urging the connection of the turbine to the grid since his invited engineers were present. On January 25, 2017, he later requested a license to supply power to the grid.”
The Minister said that in early February 2018, he met with Narine on the subject and agreed to discuss with GPL the possibility of accommodating the request, even on the basis of a pilot project.
“Internally, it was determined to await the new CEO of GPL to receive his input in the matter. It therefore becomes clear that Narine had been more than kept in the loop concerning this matter, from April 2017 to as recently as February 2018.”
Patterson also noted that while the public may be anxious to seize the opportunity of solar and wind energy and to connect to the grid to save on the cost of energy storage, the complexity of utility size generation, transmission, and distribution of power – a complexity which is further compounded by the weaknesses of GPL’s grid and the sensitivity of intermittent supply – requires judicious adherence to feasibility studies and grid interconnection processes, which are typically detailed and costly, but which are necessary to ensure reliable and stable supply of electricity and the safety of the grid.
“Furthermore, the Government of Guyana commends all private citizens and business owners who are willing to move towards the use of renewable energy. However, we wish to urge those who are interested in supplying power to GPL’s grid to first check with GPL to determine whether policies and technical and legal frameworks exist to accommodate such requests.”
JAGDEO ADDING MORE DANGER TO GUYANA AND THE REGION
Apr 18, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been named Wisden’s leading Twenty20 Cricketer for 2023, as she topped all and sundry, including her male counterparts. Alan Gardner looks...Kaieteur News – Compliments of the Ministry of Education, our secondary school children are being treated to a stage... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]