Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo expressed his deep concern over the persisting power outages in Guyana, even as the government moves forward with its multi-million-dollar Gas to Energy project to enhance the country’s electricity supply.
The recently introduced power ship, which generates up to 36 megawatts (MW) of electricity, has not been enough to stabilize the national grid, prompting questions about the underlying issues.
During a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo addressed the frustrations of citizens and businesses alike.
“We are trying to put more power into the system, but the transmission and distribution infrastructure is not stable,” he explained.
“The moment you add more power, we encounter issues. Yesterday, I was informed that some piling work caused a blackout. It’s concerning.”
Despite Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) reporting that the outages are not due to a shortfall in power generation, but rather obstructions in the distribution network, the situation has drawn scrutiny.
With peak demand currently approximately at 178 MW against a generating capacity of 192 MW, the challenges within the system are evident.
Jagdeo outlined the government’s plans for significant upgrades to the electricity grid, noting that they have pre-qualified about 20 companies to enhance the infrastructure before the anticipated gas-to-energy project goes online next year.
This project is expected to contribute an additional 360 MW to the grid, significantly boosting overall capacity.
The Vice President emphasized the need for redundancy in the electrical circuits to prevent widespread outages.
“If one line goes down, we need a backup to ensure that others remain operational,” he said.
“We are investing $160 million to build several substations that will help distribute power more effectively.”
He also noted the dramatic increase in power demand due to rapid development, with numerous hotels and housing projects under construction. “Regular hotels can consume about 1 MW of power, and with so many new developments, we are in a race to keep up,” Jagdeo stated.
The government’s partnership with Urbacon Concessions Investments and Karpowership International to rent the power ship is part of a broader strategy to address immediate energy needs while laying the groundwork for a more reliable grid.
“This is not just about short-term solutions; we are planning for a sustainable future,” Jagdeo added.
“This is a complex issue that requires time and investment. We are not sitting idly by; we are actively working to resolve these challenges,” he assured.
“Our goal is not just to provide reliable power but to reduce costs significantly for our citizens,” Jagdeo concluded.
