New solar mini-grids for communities in Reg 8 & 9 – PM

In keeping with the Guyana Government’s commitment to bridge the energy divide across the country, several communities across Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) will soon benefit from new solar mini-grids.
This was recently announced by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who has responsibility for the country’s energy sector.
Speaking at the commissioning of a 0.7-megawatt (MW) Hydropower Plant at Moco Moco Village on Friday, the Prime Minister disclosed that Cabinet recently approved four new solar mini-grids for the communities of Yupukari, Nappi, Awaruwaunau in Region Nine and Paramakatoi in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
“This is another example of us delivering on our promise to bridge the development divide. More particularly, what we’re doing is bridging the energy divide,” Phillips added.

As part of its objective of bridging the energy divide and transitioning to renewable energy, the Government has been setting up solar mini-grids within the remote and hinterland areas across the country. These efforts aim to increase Guyana’s solar energy capacity to over 39MW by 2025.
Only earlier this month, Phillips commissioned a 0.65MW grid-forming solar photovoltaic (PV) farm at Mahdia in the Potaro-Siparuni region. The solar farm, which includes a 1,500-kWh battery energy storage system, is an addition to Mahdia’s energy infrastructure. It integrates seamlessly with the existing mini-grid, providing a stable and resilient power supply.
Aligned with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, the Mahdia solar PV farm is part of a broader initiative that has already installed solar PV systems in Lethem and Bartica. Improvements are also slated for Wakenaam and Leguan, among other regions.
Meanwhile, Region Nine’s energy landscape has already been significantly transformed in recent years and this was further bolstered with the commissioning of the Moco Moco Hydropower Plant last week.
Originally commissioned in 1999, the Moco-Moco Hydropower Plant was rendered inoperative following a landslide that damaged its infrastructure in 2003.
According to the Prime Minister, the revitalisation of this long-dormant facility represents a broader effort by the Government to ensure that all regions, including hinterland communities, benefit from its national developmental agenda particularly its pursuit of an energy mix which features renewable energy at the fore.
“You’re making history,” the Prime Minister declared, “because for the first time in our country’s history, we have a hydropower plant, solar farm, and diesel generators working together to provide energy, and this is happening for the first time in Region Nine right here,” he stated.
With the newly recommissioned hydropower plant now contributing 0.7 MW of power, Region Nine now boasts a sophisticated energy system combining the hydropower plant with a 1 MW solar farm and 2 MW diesel generators, delivering a total capacity of 3.7 MW. This capacity, according to Phillips, is set to increase to an impressive 5.2 MW by February 2025 with the addition of the 1.5MW Kumu Hydropower Plant.
“In Lethem, at your maximum capacity right now, you are only using 2 megawatts. You will have almost two and a half times the amount of electricity that you can use right now… this is the development that we’re talking about, bridging the divide, the development divide, and we have successfully bridged the energy divide with this one project,” the Prime Minister noted.
On this note, PM Phillips spoke about how this increased energy capacity can drive economic growth in the region. He urged the residents across the region to capitalise on the opportunities created by the high levels of electricity, while highlighting the potential for cottage industries, particularly in agro-processing, to boost local economies.
“Start cottage industries—monetize what you already have,” he encouraged. “The wastage of mangoes and cashews can be turned into products in demand locally and internationally. This is how we create economic value from our resources,” he stated.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of modernising agricultural practices to enhance productivity and achieve food security. He said that by utilising the energy and integrating technology, such as irrigation systems, communities can overcome the challenges of climate variability contributing to their ability to become food secure and earn revenues.
He pointed to the Government’s role as a facilitator of development as he emphasised the collaborative approach needed to maximise these opportunities. “We have to put our brains together at the village council level, at the individual level, homes and with your neighbours, form ourselves into groups, pool our resources, utilise this energy and make it work for us to improve our lives and livelihoods,” Phillips stated.
Addressing the younger generation, the Prime Minister focused on the critical importance of STEM education. He said, “You are the future of Guyana. I want you to focus your effort, and your studies, on STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That’s going to help us to make the great leap into modernity.”
Residents were also assured that electricity rates would remain unchanged, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to affordable energy and linking renewable energy development to community benefits. (G-8)