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Low turnout at Sithe Global’s Linden meeting
Sithe Global’s Philip Mooney explaining the Amaila Falls project to three Lindeners.
By Leonard Gildarie
Public consultations, key to tying up financing for the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project, kicked into high gear yesterday at Linden, but to a poor turnout.
While around 30 persons trickled in during the four-hour event at the Linden Constabulary, Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. (AFH), a subsidiary of the developer, Sithe Global, will be preparing for an expected larger audience for the second session at Hotel Tower on Main Street today.
The project, with an installed capacity of 165 megawatt (mw), which Sithe Global says will cost between US$650M-$700M, will become Guyana’s largest single investment, once the financiers give the green light.
Sithe Global has hired a US firm to handle the public relations which in turn has retained a local consultant.
Visitors were asked to complete a comment form and made it clear that contact can be made with the AFH office at 233 Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown.
It was disclosed yesterday that an agreement has already been signed with China Railway, one of the world’s large infrastructure construction companies which, according to Sithe Global, has significant experience in building hydropower plants.
For some who saw advertisement of yesterday’s interactive session in the newspaper, it was an opportunity to find out whether jobs will be available.
The project will consist of the 165 mw hydroelectric facility, access roads improvements, and a 270 kilometer long high voltage transmission line to take power to the city.A sub-station is to be built at Linden and another at Sophia.
According to Coretta Brathwaite, an advisor to the Linden Chamber of Commerce and Industry, there are concerns as to what implications the project may have for the cost of electricity for Linden, which currently is being subsidised to the tune of $2B annually by government.
“Frankly, we are disappointed that government is not (represented) here. We may have some questions for them on this.”
However, the Sithe Global representatives explained that the forum is designed to get concerned members of the public to make their input. Rather than host a presentation, the
company erected several charts, computer-generated models and information on the project which they are hoping to start by year-end and complete in 2015.
According to Staydon Payne, a business manager, the information session seems to be clear with the environmental agencies and IDB, a possible funder, comfortable with the progress made.
“Obviously, we are excited by the project as we wait to see what develops.”
Sithe Global has hired former pilot, Ovid Williams, to help liaise with Amerindian Villages. Already 11 villages were visited including Rockstone, Kaburi, Kopinang and St. Cuthbert’s Mission.
Sithe Global will be meeting with Amerindian organizations and Bartica, a key mining district in the Essequibo River.
One of the major challenges Sithe Global is facing over the consultations is that of language. From the current consultations, a report has to be compiled and translated for a number of Amerindian villages.
Sithe Global has flown in a team of seniors to deal with the series of consultations.
At the forum yesterday were Philip Mooney, a consultant, and Jim McGowan, Senior Vice President Development.
In March, another Senior Vice President of Sithe Global, Rafael Herz, during a press conference had announced that the price tag remains between US$650 and US$700M but could be revised either upwards or downwards in the future. He said that the actual hydropower plant to be built is estimated to cost just about $315M with the remaining costs primarily in the transmission line and the access road among other expenditures.
Herz told media operatives that the company’s equity in the project will be some 30 per cent of the total with the company looking to directly invest at least $150M. He did state that they are in discussions with the Guyana Government to explore whether the country was interested in buying into the project.
Guyana has already controversially committed US$15.4M for the construction of the access road which has been awarded to Synergy Holdings Inc. This project is way behind schedule.
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