THE Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is calling on the APNU+AFC Administration to reveal the findings of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Study.

In a statement to the media on Saturday, the PPP reminded that Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, had indicated that the assessment of the hydropower project would be made available in May this year. However, in July, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, said the report would be ready by September 1, but when that did not materialise, Government announced that it would not be released until January 2017.

“What is the Government hiding? Why will they not release the study? The PPP call for its immediate release.”

Back in March, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman had announced that Norwegian company Norconsult was selected to conduct a financial model review of the high-profile Amaila Falls Project in Guyana.

Last year, Guyana Chronicle had reported that Norway has withheld US$80 million of funding from its forest-saving deal with Guyana for the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, but the funds could be diverted to other clean energy initiatives if the project is deemed impractical.

According to the PPP, the assessment of the project is aimed at helping Guyanese and businesses access independent merit of the Amaila Falls. “They should get the chance to do so,” declared the Opposition.

“The PPP continues to believe that the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project could transform the quality of life for almost all Guyanese, by liberating them from expensive, unreliable electricity bills. We will support the Government once it makes sincere efforts to help the people of this country,” the statement added, while calling on Government to “stop using Amaila Falls for partisan politics, and instead put the people and businesses of the country first.”

The Opposition party argues that the Amaila Falls project should be operational by now, and as such citizens should have been benefiting from reliable, affordable, clean energy. The party has accused the APNU+AFC Administration of “economic vandalism”, while noting that the project has been prolonged.

“In 2015, the Leader of Opposition offered to help the Government and called for a fact-based study to let the people of Guyana assess for themselves how Amaila Falls can improve their lives. The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project should be almost operational by now, and about to provide most Guyanese citizens and businesses with reliable, affordable, clean energy.”

According to the PPPC, Guyana should be one of the top ten users of clean energy in the world, once the project advances.

“Our country would already be benefiting from the biggest foreign direct investment in our history. Our economy would have been re-integrated with the global capital markets for the first time in over 40 years. This in turn would have led to cheaper finance for Guyanese citizens and businesses.”

However, the party noted that Guyanese continue to face years of unreliable electricity supply and “excessively high bills.”

“The blame for this situation lies entirely with the APNU+AFC coalition,” the statement added, while arguing that the APNU+AFC coalition has had access to exactly the same information available to the PPPC.
The Amaila Falls Hydro Project was designed as a 165-megawatt facility which would have delivered its power to consumers via power lines running through the jungle and onto various distribution points along the coast and other areas.