Kumu, other hydro & solar powered systems to come on stream in 2025

– as only 5% of Guyana’s current energy sources renewable

While at present only five per cent of Guyana’s current energy sources are renewable, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is looking to rapidly increase this number with the commissioning of several hydro and solar-powered systems, including the Kumu Hydropower project later this year.
During Prime Minister, Brigadier Retired Mark Phillip’s end-of-year press conference, Minister within the Public Works Ministry Deodat Indar gave some insight into the government’s future renewable energy projects… several of which are on the brink of being commissioned.

“Prime Minister mentioned the commissioning of a 0.7MW Moca Moca hydropower plant. So that was already commissioned. The other one, at Kumu, I was told that by February we should have that commissioned.”
“Now that is equivalent to about 1.7MW. So together, in the communities of Moca Moca and Kumu, St. Ignatius and some of the other communities in Lethem periphery, will benefit from 2.2MW of hydropower, going into the grid. Now, that has significant ramifications in terms of savings and fuel, more reliable power and so on,” Indar said.

Growing demand
The Minister further explained that these two hydropower facilities will cost US$12.8 million. He affirmed that this is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to ensure it can meet the growing demand for power as the economy continues to expand. He also went on to detail other areas where the government is investing in renewable energy.
“So, 3,168 (solar) home systems went into Region Two… 22 locations benefitted from other solar PV installations, like Bethany Nursery School, St. Monica Health Center, Capoey Nursery school. So, in all the schools and health centres, we put solar power there.
“In Region Three, we had about four areas about $12 Million… Kara Kara, Saxacali, Santa Mission and Lower Bonasika creek. In Leguan, we’ll put $292 Million in investment in solar PV farm there. That’s a 0.6 MW farm. That, about April you’ll see a commissioning of that. Same thing for Wakenaam.”
Indar explained that in the case of Wakenaam, US$2.3 Million was invested for a 750 KW peak solar energy system, which he revealed is expected to be commissioned this very month. This means that Wakenaam will be connected to the electrical grid through renewable energy, reducing costs such as procuring fuel to power the island.
“That’s only for Region Three, Region four, you have nine communities. Laluni, Long Creek, Swan, St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Circuitville. Soesdyke. Nine communities, $81 Million. All of them have solar home systems, 1,377 systems were placed in the periphery of the riverain communities in Region Four.”
“So, people cannot go away with thinking we only look at the coastland. We look, in every household we try to meet. In Region Five, there was Moraikobai where we put in 170 systems. Region Six, 686 home systems went in there valued at $40 Million.”
Communities in Region Seven have $292 million in solar home systems, in addition to the 1.5 MW solar farm that was commissioned at Bartica. Region Eight and Nine also benefitted from this renewable energy drive.

Overall energy
That being said, however, there is still a long road ahead for Guyana to achieve its overall renewable energy goals. While the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) promises 165MW of power once it comes on stream, Prime Minister Phillips explained that they are still reviewing proposals for this project. When asked by the media how much of Guyana’s energy comes from renewable energy sources, this was revealed to be approximately five per cent.
“But that is going to increase tremendously over the next year, 2025, 2026. And 2025-2030. Because we have three utility-scale solar energy projects. We’ve already signed contracts for the construction of solar farms in Berbice and Essequibo. And soon we’ll be signing another one for a 15MW solar farm in Region 10.”
“Now, you recall we have Amaila Falls. We already have requests for proposals for Amila Falls. The evaluation of those submissions is being done and we envision Amaila Falls, after the evaluation, the whole development of the project including the construction and everything, that will occur during the next five-year development period,” Phillips said.
The 165-megawatt AFHP was the flagship initiative of the Bharrat Jagdeo-crafted Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). However, the project failed to take off despite having a developer in US-based Sithe Global, which was backed by investment major The Blackstone Inc.
In August 2013, Sithe Global announced that it was pulling out of the project, which it said was too large to continue without national consensus, and had cited the lack of consensus in Parliament.
At the time, the then APNU and AFC Opposition parties had both expressed concerns about the project and had voted down key pieces of legislation which consequently halted the project.
Then during its term in office, from 2015 to 2020, the APNU/AFC coalition Administration again shelved the project. (G-3)