Residents across Region Three endured more than 16 hours without electricity after a fire at a Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) substation at Edinburgh, Leonora, disrupted power supply early Friday morning.
The outage, which began at approximately 1:00 a.m., left many residents struggling to cope with the heat, disrupted students’ access to the internet and affected businesses, with some residents describing the experience as exhausting and frustrating.
Several residents told Kiskadee Watch that the prolonged outage forced them to find alternative ways to cope with the heat, with some resorting to sleeping in their vehicles.
One resident, expressing frustration over the disruption, said she had already taken to Facebook to vent her anger at GPL.
“Me, I done curse out GPL on Facebook already. I slept in my car; it felt like for over four nights,” the resident said.
Taxi driver Regus George also described the experience as tiring, explaining that he had previously worked the night shift and returned home expecting to get some much-needed rest.
Instead, the prolonged outage left him struggling to find comfort.
“I was so tired, girl. I fed up,” George said.
Students were also affected, particularly those who rely on internet access to study and complete academic assignments.
One student told Kiskadee Watch that the outage disrupted preparations for a test, leaving them unable to access the online tools they usually use to study.
“I had test. I usually use the AI to study; it wouldn’t start,” the student said.
Business owners also faced difficulties as the absence of electricity left them working in uncomfortable conditions.
Sabita Persaud, a business owner, said the heat inside her shop became unbearable during the outage.
“We are in some El Niño. I had to sit in my hot shop sweating,” Persaud said.
She described the experience as increasingly frustrating, adding, “I was very irritated, like I was going mad.”
GPL team worked for 21 hours to restore power to all communities.
In a statement published on social media, the Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation said the power supply was interrupted at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Thursday, affecting customers from Vreed-en-Hoop to Naamryck in Parika, as well as areas extending to Hubu and Naamless.
According to the minister, the interruption was caused by a fire resulting from an overload or high demand at GPL’s substation at Edinburgh, Leonora.
The minister said the fire caused severe damage to electrical cabinets, cables and breakers, requiring extensive repair work.
GPL teams worked continuously for 21 hours to address the damage and restore the electricity supply.
The minister acknowledged the frustration experienced by customers and thanked them for their patience, while commending the team led by Shaun Hamlet, GPL’s Divisional Director of Transmission and Distribution, for its efforts to resolve the situation.
The minister also defended the utility’s workers against criticism, stating that the incident was not their fault.
For residents who spent hours battling the heat, students who struggled to access online resources and business owners who continued working without electricity, however, the outage was a stark reminder of how heavily daily life depends on a reliable power supply.
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