HGP NIGHTLY NEWS – Guyana Power and Light is raising the possibility of deliberate interference with the national electricity network after a major transmission line mysteriously tripped less than 24 hours after being inspected and cleared of faults.
The L2 Transmission Line, which runs between the Grove and Sophia substations, tripped at approximately 8:12 Friday morning, triggering a significant loss of power to the grid and widespread outages.
GPL says the line had been inspected on October 29, less than 24 hours before the disturbance, and was found to be free of faults and vegetation.
But on Friday morning, the line tripped on an earth fault involving its C-phase conductor, which GPL says is the lowest of the three conductors and therefore closest to the ground.
Technical teams subsequently carried out extensive inspections in an attempt to determine what caused the fault.
According to GPL, they found nothing.
No fault, vegetation or physical condition capable of explaining the incident was discovered.
“A line that is clean one day does not fail on its most accessible conductor the next without cause,” GPL said.
The power company says those circumstances have led it to suspect deliberate interference with its infrastructure.
However, GPL has not announced the discovery of physical evidence confirming sabotage, and its investigation remains ongoing.
The company says any evidence of unlawful activity uncovered during that investigation will be handed over to the relevant authorities.
GPL has also announced increased surveillance and protection of critical transmission infrastructure following the incident.
The utility warned that interference with the electricity network could place lives at risk while disrupting homes, businesses, hospitals and other essential services.
Members of the public are being asked to report suspicious activity around transmission lines, towers and substations to GPL or police.
Power restoration efforts were undertaken following Friday morning’s disturbance.
