US$17M Japan grant aid to revamp city power network

Jun 28, 2018 News

– place solar panels on CARICOM headquarters

Japan is lending significant assistance to Guyana to improve its power sector with US$17M ($3.4B) in grant agreements signed yesterday.
The monies will be used to not only improve infrastructures in the city, but also to install solar panels at the Liliendaal headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat.
During the signing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices, South Road, Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, said that the agreements will also see the procurement of 10,930 LED streetlights.
He noted that the agreements will fit perfectly with Guyana’s development trajectory which is towards becoming a green economy.

Officials from Government and from Japan at the signing yesterday.

“The project for the “Introduction of Renewable Energy and the Improvement of Power System” and the “Procurement of the Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) street lamps” will contribute significantly to our country’s Green State Initiative,” he told the gathering.
Also among those present were Annette Ferguson, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure; Mitsuhiko Okada, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Guyana; Ambassador Manorma Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM; and representatives of the Guyana Power and Light Inc., the Guyana Energy Agency and the Ministry of Finance.
The value of the agreements is US$17.8M.
Part of the project, Greenidge said, aims at improving the efficiency of the power system in the city of Georgetown and the surrounding areas by enhancing sub-station and distribution equipment, as well as establishing a photo-voltaic system and an energy management system at the CARICOM Secretariat.
He said that the 10,930 units of the LED street lamps, valued at US$1.33M will be used for the replacement of the current street lights in selected areas and aid in the improvement of the Government’s energy initiative.
Minister Greenidge noted that the agreements mark this important step in cooperation between the Government and people of Japan, which over the years have seen technical cooperation, finance and investment cooperation, and as well as grant assistance.
“These projects, I am happy to note, are not only clear manifestations of the excellent relationship that exists between our two governments but just as significantly, have contributed to the enhancement of Guyana’s social and economic development.”
Guyana formally established diplomatic relations with Japan in 1967.
According to figures released yesterday, the interventions will see transmission losses reduced by 1.6m kwh.
That would be significant as Guyana is facing technical and commercial losses of almost 30 percent of the power it produces.
With regards to the CARICOM headquarters and its solar panels, this will redound to savings, positively impacting member states, the officials said.

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