GUYANA is going to continue to seek additional partners for the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) to ensure that the project comes into fruition.

This pronouncement was made by President Donald Ramotar while underscoring the benefits of cheaper sources of energy at the commissioning of the Bio-ethanol plant at Albion, Berbice.
The AFHP has been threatened after Sithe Global, a major investor, withdrew from the project citing the need for national consensus, following the non-support of the major opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), for the amendments to the Hydroelectric Act and a motion to increase the debt ceiling on external loans, both of which were critical to the AFHP.
The president said that the worst that could happen to the project at this time would be a delay, but not a long delay as before, alluding to failed previous attempts at developing a hydropower plant in Guyana.
He pointed out that the Amaila Falls plant is supposed to be handed over to Guyana in 20 years, but noted that even before that, in the first 12 years, electricity bills will be reduced by 40 percent.
Moreover, he advised that in the following eight years, electricity bills will go down by 71 percent and by time the plant is handed over to Guyana, it will be reduced by 91 percent, the mere operating cost of the plant.
Ramotar said that with cheap energy, more investment can be attracted into Guyana and that this is why the current situation with the project is “such a painful issue” since it is a project that would touch the lives of every single person living in the country in a positive way.

$6B Electricity Subsidy
He related that some $6B was spent last year to subsidise electricity, in order to prevent the ordinary people and businesses from paying more than they already do, and he stated further that approximately the same amount will be spent in that regard this year.
In addition, he noted that Guyana’s single largest import bill is that of fuel used to generate electricity.
He said that if the country gets a cheap source of energy, such as that which Amaila promises, the country will be saving a significant amount which can then be invested in other areas.
“If we generate electricity by renewable source, like hydro, that money could be saved to deal with many of the social problems that we have in the society, or to be invested in the productive sector so that we can generate more wealth,” Ramotar asserted.
Meanwhile, speaking at the same forum, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy told the president that he, and the Government of Guyana, should not be discouraged by the “irresponsibility of a small group of Guyanese.”
“I say to you that this nation is behind you. We want hydroelectricity now, we want Amaila now. We do not want to dream another 20 years, another 40 years…” he asserted.
Ramsammy stated that the government’s pursuit of hydroelectricity via the Amaila hydroelectric plant has been recognised by people throughout the country, as not only an exciting venture but a necessity as well.
He noted that for Guyana’s development to be accelerated, a cheaper source of energy is needed, and if the people are going to be ensured access to reliable, affordable energy, the AFHP must be realised.