-additional 75 megawatts to be added to national grid

IN a continued effort to address the increasing demand for reliable electricity, the Government of Guyana, through the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), signed an agreement for the deployment of a second powership in collaboration with UCC Holdings.

The powership, which will be stationed in the Demerara River, is set to deliver an additional 60 megawatts of power in its first phase, with an expected increase to 75 megawatts in the second phase. This new addition to the national grid is expected to significantly bolster the country’s energy supply.

The signing ceremony, held Wednesday, was overseen by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Mr. Deodat Indar. The agreement was signed at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) office by Mr. Kesh Nandlall, Head of GPL’s Executive Management Committee, and Mr. Antonio Neto, Managing Director of UCC Holdings for the Americas.

Dr. Singh, speaking at the event, emphasised that the government was focused on meeting both the short-term and long-term electricity demands of the country. He pointed to the successful deployment of the first powership in May 2023, which has been supplying 36 megawatts of power to the interconnected Demerara-Berbice grid. However, he noted that the country’s demand for electricity is steadily increasing, and the government must continue to take proactive measures to ensure a reliable supply.

“President Ali’s instructions are very clear that, in the first instance, we must meet the immediate demand for electricity, and where that means bringing in emergency power, we must bring in that emergency power,” Dr. Singh explained, outlining the government’s ongoing efforts to address both current and future energy needs.

For the longer term, the government has its sights set on the Gas to Energy Project, which is expected to contribute an additional 300 megawatts to the national grid once operational. Dr. Singh also mentioned that further plans are in place to secure more generating capacity through additional proposals, ensuring that the country is prepared for the anticipated future growth in energy demand.

Minister Indar highlighted the critical role these powerships play in supporting the country’s development, especially as the festive season approaches, with increased power usage. He noted that, when the PPP/C Government took office in 2020, the country’s generating capacity was insufficient to meet peak demand. However, since then, significant steps have been taken to expand and stabilize power supply, with peak demand now at 205 megawatts.

Meanwhile, UCC Holdings representative, Mr. Antonio Neto, confirmed that the company will mobilise the powership as soon as possible, with the aim to deploy it to Guyana in the coming weeks.

This second powership marks another important step in the government’s strategy to address electricity shortages and prepare the country for its growing energy needs. Since taking office in 2020, the PPP/C Government has implemented several initiatives, including the installation of 10 megawatts of emergency power, the operationalisation of 46.5 megawatts at the Garden of Eden plant in 2022, and the procurement of an additional 28.9 megawatts of power from Colombia. Together, these efforts are helping to ensure that Guyana’s energy sector can keep pace with the nation’s development.