GPL targets June 2027 for full 300MW GtE power on national grid

The Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) is expecting power generation from the highly anticipated Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project by mid-June 2027, as the utility company continues preparations to integrate an additional 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity into the national grid.

Over the past few years, GPL has been investing heavily in upgrading existing infrastructure and installing new infrastructure in preparation for the operationalisation of the GtE Project, which is slated to deliver some 300 MW of electricity to the national grid.
During a recent press briefing on Monday, GPL Chief Executive Officer Kesh Nandlall announced, in response to questions from reporters, that the company expects to commence full power generation under the Gas-to-Energy Project by mid-June 2027.
“Based on information that I have, the first power is expected to be available at the end of the year, which is one turbine. Then there will be gradual increases, and there should be full power by mid-June 2027. That is what I would say,” Nandlall said.
More than US$720 million has already been invested to build out new infrastructure to facilitate the distribution of power from the GtE Project, located at Wales on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), onto the national grid.
These investments include the installation of new high-capacity transmission lines, as well as the construction of several new substations and the upgrading of existing ones.
During the recent nationwide power outage, it was disclosed that the power ships experienced intermittent interruptions, with the vessels going on and off due to various issues, including the strain caused by high demand for electricity.

The situation was further compounded by the failure of a transformer, which contributed to the widespread disruption.
Meanwhile, Nandlall provided an update on the current status of electricity being supplied by the power ships, while also outlining plans for additional generation capacity expected to come on stream soon to help meet the growing demand for electricity across the country.
Guyana currently relies on two floating power ships from Turkish company Karpowership to supply electricity to the national grid.
“We are getting a capacity of 36MW for Berbice, and we are getting 70MW from the Demerara River. By Wednesday, we are getting an additional five MW, so there will soon be full capacity on our power ships,” Nandlall said.
The new GtE infrastructure will see power moving from the Wales site across the Demerara River to the Garden of Eden Substation, then to the newly built Goedverwagting Substation and subsequently to the Sophia Substation.
The process underway at Wales is designed to receive natural gas and separate it into different components to maximise value for Guyana.
Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and Public Utilities and Aviation Minister, Deodat Indar on Tuesday visited the Gas-to-Energy Project site at Wales to assess ongoing works and progress across key areas of the development.
They were joined by Director General Alfonso De Armas and a Guyana Power and Light Inc, team led by Nandlall, Team Leader of GPL’s Executive Management Committee.
The PM, who has oversight responsibility for the energy sector and the GtE Project, said the visit is part of his periodic assessment of the development to ensure that works remain aligned with the established implementation schedule.
During Tuesday’s inspection, the delegation observed progress on the gas turbines, steam turbine, storage tanks, foundations, piping and other supporting systems, as well as works on the substation that will facilitate the transmission of power from the facility.
Following the briefing and site inspection, PM Phillips noted that, since his last inspection in June, works have advanced substantially, with several major components now installed and critical infrastructure progressing across key areas of the facility.
The current timeline provides for the first gas turbine to come online by the end of 2026, delivering approximately 57MW of electricity to the national grid.