InterEnergy, one of the largest private sector power operators in the Dominican Republic (DR), is eager to help Guyana become a premier industrial hub for the region through key reforms at its publicly owned utility company, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). Specifically, InterEnergy’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster said his UK-based energy company which is also active in Panama, Chile, Jamaica and Uruguay, can arm GPL with a game-changing metering system.
During an interview on the Energy Perspectives Podcast, a program by the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, the Chairman noted that CEPM is the crown jewel of InterEnergy’s chain of businesses, and he believes it can be helpful to GPL. He explained that it is a standalone electric utility firm in the eastern part of the Dominican Republic. Notably, CEPM is the only electricity distribution company where 100% of its customers are managed through remote metering. This allows consumers to see in real-time their energy consumption and migrate from prepaid to postpaid contracts easily.
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“CEPM is our most profitable and dynamic company, and this is the company that we hope can do work here with GPL. It is a company where every meter is read wirelessly. In other words, you can look, with an application on your smartphone, and see what your house is consuming,” said the CEO.
He noted that the application could also tell consumers what the temperature would be for the following day as well as provide a forecast of how much power one is likely to use in the given month.
“All this will be done with sophisticated software and sophisticated smart meters, and that is what we think Guyana needs to install so that you don’t need to have meter readers,” said the CEO. Essentially, Gonzalez-Bunster hopes to arm GPL with a smart, foolproof system.
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Following the recent signing of a cooperation agreement with GPL, Gonzalez-Bunster said his team of engineers and specialists have been instructed to fast-track a proposal on the technological advancements and investments from which the Guyanese utility company can benefit.
Given the significant economic growth Guyana is expected to experience once it has six oil ships in operation by 2027, the CEO said this country will need more energy investments. He expressed his desire to help Guyana in this regard, particularly as it relates to fulfilling its potential of becoming a regional industrial powerhouse, buttressed by a reliable energy supply network.
