Hampshire Solar Farm marks major leap in Guyana’s low-carbon energy transition – GPL CEO

Kesh Nandlall, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Guyana Power and Light (GPL), has described the Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic (GUYSOL) programme as a landmark initiative fully aligned with the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. Speaking at the commissioning of the new solar farm in Hampshire, Corentyne, on Friday, Nandlall noted that the facility is one of three major solar installations in Berbice, which together will add 10-megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity to Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). The other two farms—located at Prospect in New Amsterdam and Trafalgar on the West Coast Berbice (WCB)—are expected to be commissioned shortly. Together, the three sites will generate approximately 16,100-megawatt-hours (MWh)of electricity each year, a supply that will significantly reduce reliance on diesel.
The Hampshire facility alone, he noted, will save the country more than GY$210 million annually in avoided fuel costs. Constructed with nearly 5,000 high-strength solar panels mounted to withstand severe weather, the Hampshire plant is connected to the Berbice grid via a newly installed 14.8-kilovolt (kV) line; a development that Nandlall said will enhance grid stability across East Berbice.
“Across the GUYSOL programme, more than 75,000 tonnes of carbon emissions will be cut annually. But this project is also about empowering people,” he highlighted.
Guyana’s rapid renewable-energy expansion is being supported by revenue earned from the sale of its forest-based carbon credits, which is reinvested through the LCDS to accelerate the shift toward a diversified, low-carbon energy mix. This includes utility-scale solar farms like the GUYSOL projects; hydropower development such as the planned Amaila Falls project, which will provide stable base-load power; and targeted wind-generation initiatives in both coastal and hinterland regions. Together, these initiatives are designed to reduce fossil-fuel dependence, lower electricity costs, strengthen energy security, and support sustainable national growth.
A key component of the programme, Nandlall said, is building human capacity. So far, 31 women have been trained in solar installation, with plans to expand the programme to 50 women and 20 persons with disabilities.
“This is about skills, jobs and inclusion,” he stressed.
Nandlall also outlined GPL’s broader grid-modernisation plan, which includes new high-voltage transmission lines, modern substations and the establishment of a national control centre aimed at enabling real-time monitoring of the system. At Hampshire, he announced, GPL will soon construct a 230-kV substation to integrate the anticipated 300-MW of power from the Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project at Wales.
“This is all part of ensuring that by 2030, Guyana has a fully functional smart grid,” he explained. With the commissioning of the Hampshire solar farm and more renewable installations on the horizon, Guyana is solidifying its position as one of the region’s leaders in clean-energy transformation, balancing rapid economic development with long-term environmental sustainability.