Wales Gas-to-Energy Project – “We are now working aggressively to have this project completed” – Pres Ali

…as 72% completion marks phase 2 expansion

President Dr Irfaan Ali has affirmed that the Government is intensifying efforts to complete the Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project, even as it has exceeded its original completion timeline. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the Head of State noted that the administration is not satisfied with the delays but is moving swiftly to bring the project to completion. “We are now working aggressively to have this project completed. I can say we are; I can’t say that we’re happy that the project has gone beyond timeline. We wanted this project to be completed as quickly as possible but that is the reality that is before us. They had various challenges. We are not happy and we said that before but we have to now take this project to the end. That is a priority. The priority is finishing this project in the interest of Guyana and the Guyanese people,” he said. Shifting gears, the President then revealed that the Government has already moved towards the second phase of the GtE initiative – GtE2. Phase Two of the Wales development is expected to feature an additional 250 to 300 megawatt (MW) combined-cycle power plant to support the country’s growing manufacturing and commercial demand. “We are already in the process of GtE2 because, you know, we are already projecting that the power that will be needed from what is happening in the economy will definitely consume all of GtE1 in its initial phase. So we are already on that, the GtE2 Project. The natural gas liquids component is important for the building out of the Wales Development Zone, of course the Wales Development Zone and the type of industries that will go there.”

Wales Development Zone
In fact, the Government is already focusing on ammonia production and several other major facilities to support the vision for the Wales Development Zone. “Already we know we are looking at an ammonia and urea plant, a gas bottling and logistics facility, a glass factory, a data centre, NGL storage and LNG facilities.”
Guyana’s US$759 million Wales GtE Project, which is expected to slash electricity costs by 50 per cent, is currently 72 per cent complete, with several major components still scheduled to be added as the project moves toward completion.
This was revealed by Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar during an episode of the Starting Point Podcast hosted on Thursday evening. Guyana’s landmark GtE Project is a transformative national infrastructure initiative designed to transport natural gas from the offshore Stabroek Block to an integrated facility at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, the project aims to deliver a reliable 300 MW power supply and significantly reduce domestic electricity costs.

Substantial portion
According to the Minister, a substantial portion of the project has already been completed as the Government continues to push ahead with implementation. “So the power plant, the last update that I have — and I get updates very often on a weekly basis through reports — is that it is about 72 per cent complete. A lot of the procurement has been completed, including the construction of equipment for the wastewater treatment plant, the tanks, fuel tanks, water treatment plant and the natural gas liquefaction plant. We have the transformers on site and we also have all of the turbines in the country,” he said. He further added that a major milestone is expected by the end of the year when the facility begins generating its first power.
“Some of the turbines are already on site as well. What we have now are some component parts that are on their way to Guyana. We were assured by the contractor at a recent engagement that by the end of the year, we should have first power coming from the plant. “The plant is structured to use gas as a feedstock, and we already have the pipeline from offshore terminated at Wales. Exxon put that pipeline there, so it is already in place,” he explained. Meanwhile, he highlighted that all of the related infrastructure are already in place and prepared for dispatch to the end user. He explained that once the natural gas facility becomes operational and the power plant is fully connected with the necessary electrical systems in place, the plant will begin generating power using natural gas as its feedstock. He further noted that the project’s first phase is expected to generate 228 MW of electricity through four gas turbines operating in a simple-cycle configuration. Additionally, the facility will include two steam turbines operating in a combined-cycle system, where the steam turbines work in conjunction with the gas turbines to improve efficiency and overall power generation. Providing proof, he asserted that aerial views can back his statements.
“If you fly over Guyana during the day, you will see all of these major metal structures rising from the ground. They are very high, but those are the transmission structures needed to move the bulk power. Then you have to dispatch that power,” he said. The Government is also moving toward constructing a new control centre aimed at supervising and monitoring the national power grid.
Last Thursday, the Government said the 300 MW Wales GtE Project — the country’s largest infrastructure initiative — continues to advance, with construction works progressing and key contractual issues resolved. In a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), PM Mark Phillips said the contractor has made significant progress in recent months and remains committed to delivering first power to the national grid by the end of 2026. He described the project as a major step in Guyana’s energy transition and said the Government remains satisfied with the pace of implementation.