GUYANA Power and Light Inc. (GPL) is in the process of switching over from 60 cycles to 50 cycles in the city - a move that will ensure uniformity in the supply of one standard cycle of electricity, but which can also have a negative impact on consumers and suppliers of electrical appliances.

The impact can be with compatibility of electrical appliances to the new cycle.

Anticipating the change in the GPL cycle, several companies dealing with electrical appliances said they have already taken precautions by minimising their stock of 60 cycles appliances and maximising that of the 50 cycles.

One large supplier said he has limited his stock of 60 cycles appliances and is bringing in more 50 cycles appliances.

Others noted too that although some 60 cycles appliances will not be compatible to the 50 cycles, most equipment are dual function and are compatible to both standards.

Another prominent electrical store in the city commented that this changeover will not affect the business very much since the store has been supplying in the 50 cycles equipment for the past few years.

It was noted too that most appliances now are manufactured to suit this 50 cycles.

Electrical appliances that might be affected by the changeover include some kinds of motors in industrial and commercial premises, fluorescent lamps, clocks and some types of radios.

Chief Executive Officer of GPL, Mr. John Lynn said the system used in Georgetown is partly 50 cycles per second which is basically a UK and European standard while the 60 cycles per second is a North American standard.

He noted that the standard that has been adopted in Guyana for a while is the 60 cycles standard and that part of the work of GPL is to convert the network to achieve a consistent cycles-per-second across the full power supply system.

Lynn noted that customers will be impacted in some instances but the way GPL is dealing with this situation is speaking to customers in the areas that the conversion is taking place.

He said some amount of conversion has already taken place and there were no major problems that arose.

He expressed confidence that this will be the case in the future.

"...but obviously we will be talking to customers about the implications of this changeover as is likely to arise over the next four or five years," Lynn said.

"It's a gradual process with a limited amount of conversion already completed in areas in Georgetown," he noted.

Commenting on the perception of a lack of public sensitisation by GPL on this changeover, Lynn said he is not sure there is a whole lot of value in giving general information out to the public, most of whom wouldn't actually be impacted by the programme.

He said modern appliances like television sets and other kinds of appliances can work on both kinds of frequency.

"...but I think it has been a longstanding understanding among the suppliers in this country that this type of changeover was going to happen and I am reasonably confident that most of the appliance will work well," Lynn said.