– GPL taps police help in solving rampant theftBy Leonard GildarieThe Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) was at its wits end to find solutions to problems that developed over the weekend, as a section of Section “C” Sophia was left without power since Thursday due mainly to illegal connections.Rains,NFL Jerseys China, hostile residents and a blown transformer fuse were blamed. GPL,Cheap Jerseys China, following a meeting yesterday, was attempting to enter the area again to fix the problem.A fuse in this Sophia transformer was blown Thursday night from illegal connections, leaving almost 100 homes without power.Residents of Field 10 and Field 11 claimed that they heard a huge explosion late Thursday night shortly after rains came and shortly after a power outage. A crew of GPL technicians was said to be in the area at the time.Yesterday, Chief Executive Officer of the GPL, Bharat Dindyal,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, said that illegal wires left exposed in the rains and drains short-circuited a fuse in the transformer on Thursday. A crew attempted to fix the problem the same evening but the fuse blew again.A decision was then taken to call off repairs since it was suspected that exposed wires from illegal connections were the reason.It was difficult to ascertain all the locations where the exposed wires exist,Gordon Hayward Jersey, since it entailed detailed checks of the almost 100 residences that would have been affected by the transformer. Due to the danger to staff, investigations were halted.According to Dindyal, police ranks will now have to assist emergency workers.Arnold Benjamin, a resident of the affected area, said that the illegal connections in the area are rampant. Several cattle farmers’ stocks were electrocuted over the past two years from exposed wires in the area.While the situation was not so dangerous during the El Nino conditions, the rains have proven how dangerous the illegal connections are as evidenced from the blown transformer.Several residents, claiming that their meat and other perishables spoiled after the power outage,Air Max 97 Silver Bullet Mens, said that they are fed up.Arnold Benjamin lost 10 cows to electrocution from illegal connections over part two years.“I mek several complaints to GPL. They come, tek away de wires and as soon as they back turn, the connections were made again,” said another resident who asked not to be named.“It become a business for some people because they charging people to make these illegal connections.”While some of the connections are more “permanent” since they were placed in pipes and run underground, some residents would every evening hook up their wires using rods. Some wires are just lying there waiting to be connected when residents come home from work in the evening.According to some, a few GPL technicians would discover the illegal connections during raids but “tek something”… and the situation continues.Almost 50 per cent of the residents of the area are estimated to be stealing electricity.The problem in that part of Sophia is not unique. It has been a thorn in the side of GPL since almost a third of its generation is believed to be lost mainly to theft.Areas like Ann’s Grove and Buxton on the East Coast Demerara; New Amsterdam,cheap nfl jerseys, Berbice; Festival City and South Ruimveldt in Georgetown and Friendship, East Bank Demerara are chronic areas being targeted.The problem for GPL remained in the widespread incidence and shortage of staffers to effectively tackle the theft.Several workers were fired overtime for suspected collusion. Another major problem is that as soon as GPL raids, the illegal connections are made again.