Gas-to-Energy Plant: 120-Day deadline set for completion of turbine foundations

The foundation works for the Wales Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project are expected to be completed within the next 120 days, according to the contractor, LINDSAYCA. This timeline was disclosed during a site visit to the project at Wales, Region Three, led by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and the newly appointed Public Utilities and Aviation Minister, Deodat Indar.
The construction of the 300-megawatt (MW) power plant, which forms the core of the GtE Project, is currently 78 per cent complete, while overall works stand at 68 per cent. On September 22, the contractor will commence the concrete pour for the second foundation. Similar pours for the third and fourth foundations will follow at seven-to-ten-day intervals. These foundations are essential to support the plant’s gas and steam turbines, which make up its combined-cycle system.
Each of the four gas turbines will have a capacity of 57-MW, while the two steam turbines will collectively provide the remaining output to deliver a total generation capacity of 300-MW. Once the foundation works are completed within the 120-day deadline, the project will move closer to its targeted completion in 2026.
Minister Indar underscored the importance of the project, describing it as one of the Ali Administration’s most significant manifesto commitments. He noted that the power plant is expected to cut electricity costs by 50 per cent, making it a transformative investment for Guyanese households and businesses.
“The Government is eager to have this project completed so that citizens can begin to reap the benefits of reliable and affordable power,” Minister Indar said during the visit. The Wales GtE Project is considered one of the most striving undertakings in Guyana’s energy sector, and its timely completion is expected to significantly reduce the country’s dependence on expensive imported fuel.
The GtE Project, long positioned as the flagship of Guyana’s strategy to leverage natural gas from the Stabroek Block, holds the promise of delivering cheaper, more reliable electricity to a country where high energy costs have historically restrained growth. The initiative is a strategic decision to convert natural resources into tangible benefits for households, businesses, and future generations.
The establishment of the Wales Industrial Zone, mapped to accommodate a data centre, fertiliser production and manufacturing facilities, further reflects the intent to create a broader industrial ecosystem around the energy hub.
The strategic rationale behind the GtE Project has always been clear, to move away from dependence on imported heavy fuel oil and transition toward cleaner, more affordable, and more stable electricity generation. By harnessing natural gas from the Stabroek Block through a 250-kilometre (km) high-pressure pipeline and marrying it with cutting-edge combined-cycle technology, Guyana positions itself to reduce electricity costs by a significant margin. In turn, lower energy costs are expected to cascade into reduced production costs, more competitive exports, and a more diversified and resilient economy. According to the Government, large-scale infrastructure developments of this nature are complex and capital-intensive, demanding rigorous oversight and the contract awarded to LINDSAYCA for US$759 million to construct the 300-MW power plant and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility demonstrates the magnitude of financial commitments involved.