Full investigation ordered into Skeldon sugar project
A recent visit to the Skeldon Estate with officials from the Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI), Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jaipaul Sharma, and Guysuco officials, unearthed major safety and design issues with the estate’s Co-Generation plant. Rehabilitating the plant will cost US$17 Million in repairs.
Chairman of the SEI Board of Directors Lloyd Ross explained, “Repairs in the sense that it is remedial just to allow us to get to a level of safety that is acceptable for the operation of this plant, which did not exist prior to now.” During the press briefing at the estate after an indepth tour and inspection of the facility, Ross revealed that there were multiple design deficiencies. “There was an issue with improper maintenance and an issue of training and operational oversight.”
According to Ross, due to the malfunctioning boilers the plant has been shut down and out of order for the past six months. He said that because of the design of the structure it is proving to be unsuitable for the country’s conditions. The boilers, he stated, are clogging excessively with the ash from the burning of the bagasse causing sections of the plant to erode. He added that the remedial and maintenance programme currently being carried out is expected to cost some US$2.5 million.
Ross stated that they are moving to have the two defective boilers replaced with one. There will be other repairs. “The US$17 million is not only to do with the replacement boiler. It is also to do with the major repairs of the turbines, as well as adding a new 69 KV transformer.” The total works are expected to be completed by August of this year and will facilitate a second crop to take shape by September. “The plant has not realized its full potential, simply because it has been inefficient in the use of the bagasse produced. It was only operating at a deficiency level”, he stated. Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jaipaul Sharma, has since issued a call to have a thorough investigation into the co-generation plant. Sharma, who has direct responsibility for SEI, disclosed that the project was never officially certified. There was no document to state operations commenced and when. He said that one of the major factors that would have contributed to the boiler damage leads to the overhead shed protecting the boiler from extreme weather patterns. He stated that the shed was built in such a way that it only covers one boiler leaving one exposed. “The boilers were designed to use bagasse, but they used a large amount of heavy fuel oil (HFO); this contributed to the deterioration”.
(kaieteurnewsonline.com)