GUYANA’S push to expand renewable energy in the hinterland continues to gain momentum, with the 1.5-megawatt Kumu Hydropower Plant playing a key role in supplying renewable electricity to Lethem while supporting the country’s wider low-carbon development strategy.
Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma, on Monday, said the facility demonstrates how Guyana can harness its natural resources to meet energy needs while reducing reliance on conventional sources of power.
Explaining the fundamentals behind the facility, Sharma said the generation capacity of the plant is based on two critical natural elements: the volume of water flowing through the system and the height from which that water falls. “Mother Nature, the power of water, the two key elements, volumetric flow in metre cube per second, and head, or height,” Sharma explained. He said the combination of these factors at Kumu allows the facility to generate renewable electricity for the township Lethem.
The Kumu facility was officially commissioned by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips in Region Nine in July of this year, marking another step in the government’s efforts to expand renewable energy and strengthen energy security across the country. The prime minister said the project forms part of a broader national strategy focused on energy security, food security and climate security, while noting that the government has been expanding the country’s energy mix through gas-to-power infrastructure, solar farms and hydropower. The Kumu plant adds 1.5MW to Region Nine’s renewable energy capacity, alongside the 0.7MW Moco Moco Hydropower Plant and a 1MW solar photovoltaic farm. Together, the three facilities provide 3.2MW of installed renewable generation capacity for the region.
Sharma highlighted that the importance of the Kumu Hydropower Plant extends beyond its generation capacity, with the facility directly supporting the electricity needs of Lethem, one of the country’s fastest-growing hinterland communities. “This 1.5-megawatt Kumu hydropower plant combines a head of 523 metres and volumetric flow to allow us to generate power,” he said. “This is a key component of our low-carbon development strategy. Renewable energy powering the town and the people of Lethem.”
The plant feeds directly into the Lethem grid, with the Kumu and Moco Moco facilities supplying 100 per cent of Lethem’s electricity for a full 24-hour period using hydropower alone.
The additional energy capacity is also expected to support economic and social development in Region Nine, with improved electricity access creating opportunities for businesses, public services, tourism, education and employment. The Kumu and Moco Moco projects form part of a dual hydropower development executed under a US$12.85 million Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract awarded in 2022 to Sri Lankan company Vidullanka PLC. Of that amount, US$9.0625 million was allocated to construction of Kumu, while US$3.7875 million covered rehabilitation of Moco Moco.
With Kumu now contributing renewable energy directly to the Lethem grid, the facility represents part of Guyana’s broader effort to develop a more diversified energy system, while making greater use of the country’s natural resources.
