GPL’s grid upgrades will benefit business, manufacturing sectors – GCCI head

…as business body meets with GPL on reliable electricity

In the wake of a meeting with the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kester Hutson, has lauded the expansive upgrades to the electric grid that are currently ongoing on a simultaneous basis, and what it means for Guyanese, but particularly the business community.

Last week, the leadership of the GCCI met with senior officials from the GPL. During that meeting, GPL head Kesh Nandlall made a presentation to GCCI about the company’s strategy to improve electricity supply and upgrade infrastructure.
In a statement after the meeting, Senior Vice President and Chairperson of the Petroleum Committee, Kathy Smith, noted that members of the GCCI are eagerly anticipating improvements to the energy sector that would accompany the operationalization of the Gas-to-Energy Project, as the electricity demand is continuously increasing.
On Wednesday, Hutson, in an interview with this publication, reinforced this message while at the same time providing some insight on what was discussed during the meeting with GPL’s management.
“We talked about the gas-to-shore energy plant; we talked about the second one coming; we talked about the power ships: they have a two-year contract, so they’ve pretty much got up to 2026/ early 2027; we talked about having adequate power to supply the country’s needs; we talked about the rolling out of the new network, the grid,” Hutson detailed.
Hutson, meanwhile, expressed satisfaction with the progress being made currently in upgrading the electricity lines. He pointed to the simultaneous work being done by GPL to upgrade its infrastructure.
“If you look around, there’s the new conversion of the wallaba poles to concrete poles. We talked about it. With the road expansion, they would have combined the efforts to ensure that other secondary grid is being done for the communities. So, yea, I’m pretty satisfied,” the GCCI head said.
“And, of course, you feel a lot more comfortable with more engagement, because more information is being provided, and updates. There is a prospective end date or readiness for the new power system, new grid. So persons, business leaders, can start to plan, and they should be planning right now to make use of the new and reliable electricity that is coming.”
GPL has been working assiduously to develop the country’s energy infrastructure, including through programmes like the Power Utility Upgrade Program (PUUP). And last year, two power ships were procured to supply additional power to the grid and stem the tide of blackouts. The first one was secured through GPL signing a two-year contract with Qatar-based Urbacon Concessions Investments (UCI), in April 2024, for a power ship to generate 36 megawatts (MWs) into the national grid.
The second power ship came after a contract signing in November between GPL and the Joint Venture of Turkish-based Karpowership Global DMCC and Qatar-based UCC Energy International LLC JV.
This agreement saw GPL chartering a power ship with a total installed capacity of 75MW for two years. In addition to the power from the power ships, which enables GPL to do much needed maintenance on its generators, there is also the 300MW power plant from the Gas-to-Energy Project, which comes on stream this year.
Upon completion, the project is expected to substantially lower electricity generation costs, enabling GPL to reduce tariffs by up to 50 per cent.
This reduction has significant implications for the Guyanese economy in terms of fostering more competitive production costs and stimulating broader economic growth.
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has already finished constructing the gas pipeline, and the transmission lines and substations required for integration of the project are significantly advanced, with completion anticipated by mid-year.