Power ship options being explored as electricity demand exceeds supply

President Dr Irfaan Ali has confirmed that the Government is examining options to secure additional electricity generation capacity, including proposals for power ships, as demand on the national grid continues to rise beyond the system’s ability to supply.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Shipping Association conference at the Marriott Hotel on Monday, Ali said the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the Public Utilities Ministry were assessing several possibilities to address the short-term demand.
“What I can say is that the entity, as you know, the demand is soaring past our ability to supply now. As a matter of fact, I think last night the demand was in excess of what the system could have produced,” the President said.
He explained that any additional generation arrangement would have to be temporary, given the time frame in which the country needs to address the shortfall.
“It’s difficult because whatever we do cannot be a long-term arrangement. It has to be a very short time frame,” Ali said, adding that no final decision had been made on the options being examined.
“I cannot say they’ve concluded on any option. But yes, we are looking at options right now to look for additional power because we just need it. It’s just critically needed in the system,” he added.
Asked specifically about the possibility of sourcing another power ship, the President said he was certain that proposals from power ships were among those being examined. “I’m sure they’re examining proposals from power ships and so on,” he said.
The latest disclosure comes as the Government continues to pursue a major overhaul of the country’s electricity infrastructure to address rising consumption and persistent concerns about the reliability of supply.
In September, Ali announced plans for significant investments in GPL’s generation, transmission and distribution systems, warning that the existing infrastructure was struggling to keep pace with the country’s rapid economic expansion.
The President had said at the time that a preliminary assessment indicated electricity consumption could double by 2029. He also disclosed that the Qatari Government had committed to helping fund some of the planned projects.
Ali attributed the growing demand to the expansion of housing schemes, the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and increased industrial activity associated with the oil and gas sector.
He said the country required substantial investment to strengthen the electricity network and ensure that it could accommodate future demand while maintaining reliable service.
A report prepared by InterEnergy, the consultancy company contracted by the Government to help manage power distribution and stabilise the national grid, also identified the need for additional generating capacity, alongside investments in transmission and distribution infrastructure.
The report recommended measures including the establishment of an independent grid reliability task force, smart metering and digitisation, and improvements across the electricity network.
According to figures cited by the President in September, GPL had recorded a peak demand of 257 megawatts (MW), while its installed generation capacity stood at 265.6 MW.
Although GPL had maintained that it possessed sufficient generation capacity to meet current demand, the company acknowledged that its transmission and distribution networks were under significant strain.
Ali said the challenge required a comprehensive approach, with investments in generation and the electricity infrastructure undertaken while keeping the existing system operational.