— Nandlall points to US$800M investment, additional generation and transmission works

GUYANA Power and Light Inc. (GPL) expects power outages to be “significantly alleviated” by mid-2027 as additional generation and major infrastructural projects come on stream.
Kesh Nandlall, Team Leader of GPL’s Executive Management Committee, made the projection during a recent appearance on the Starting Point podcast, where he outlined ongoing investments aimed at strengthening the country’s electricity system.
According to Nandlall, approximately US$800 million is currently being invested in infrastructure that is expected to come on stream and improve the reliability of the power supply.
“Investment in the power sector takes time. We cannot build transmission lines overnight,” Nandlall said.
He acknowledged that the investments would not eliminate every challenge facing GPL but said they would “alleviate the problem significantly” once the additional infrastructure is in place.
Nandlall said that since 2020, approximately 210 megawatts (MW) of generation have been added to the national grid, including capacity from the two power ships.
He also pointed to the expansion of solar generation across the country.
According to Nandlall, 10MW of solar capacity have been added in Berbice and another eight MW in Essequibo, with both facilities already operational and connected to the grid.
A further 15MW is being added in Linden, while solar generation has also been introduced in Bartica, Leguan and Wakenaam.
“We are adding generation in the grid and we continue to add,” Nandlall said.
300MW BY JUNE 2027
The Gas-to-Energy project is also expected to provide additional generation, with Nandlall saying initial output is anticipated by the end of this year and further output by the first quarter of 2027.
Based on the current programme, he said approximately 300MW should be available by June 2027.
Asked whether this meant consumers could expect an end to persistent power outages by the middle of next year, Nandlall said the problem “should be significantly alleviated.”
The investments come as Guyana experiences a sharp increase in electricity demand.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, previously disclosed that demand had risen from approximately 125MW in 2020 to a record 242.64MW, while GPL’s customer base increased from approximately 204,000 to 250,000.
The rapid expansion of housing, commercial and industrial activity, coupled with high temperatures, has contributed to increased electricity consumption.
Indar has also explained that outages are not caused solely by generation constraints.
Some are scheduled to allow GPL crews to safely replace transformers and conductors and carry out other works necessary to expand and strengthen the network. GPL is expected to notify customers in advance of planned outages and provide the expected duration.
Unplanned outages can also result from third-party damage to electricity infrastructure, including incidents involving cranes, excavators and other heavy equipment.
REDUCING PEAK DEMAND
The Government has also introduced measures aimed at reducing pressure on the national grid, particularly during the 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. peak-demand period.
Government buildings have been instructed to switch off unnecessary lights and equipment, while businesses with their own generating capacity have been encouraged to self-generate during peak periods.
Households have also been urged to conserve electricity where possible.
More recently, GPL reported reliable generation capacity of approximately 256MW, with additional generating units expected to increase available capacity to around 280MW.
The combination of new generation, transmission works and other upgrades is expected to strengthen the electricity system as demand continues to grow.