Latest update September 18th, 2026 10:25 AM
Current generators will not be shelved for gas plant – VP Jagdeo
…says facilities will function as backup supply, augment future demand
Kaieteur News – Key spokesman on national energy issues, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has clarified that the investment in current power generation facilities will not be wasted as these will be used alongside the upcoming 300-megawatt gas fired power plant as a back-up mechanism.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
The VP, during a press conference at Freedom House on Thursday, was at the time responding to former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, who in a public missive indicated that some US$450 million in investments will be wasted to make the gas project feasible. https://kaieteurnewsonline.com/2023/04/22/govt-discarding-us450m-investment-to-push-wales-gas-project-daivd-patterson/
Contrary to the belief of the Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Jagdeo explained that the generators will be used as reserves. He said, “Right now we don’t have reserves, that is why you have blackout. Most utilities in the world, they have about 75 percent of their installed capacity is reserve, so that in case you have a problem with installed capacity you can put on your reserves.”
The former Head of State argued that the lack of investment in the energy sector over the years have resulted in the current state of affairs. In clarifying his position, the VP noted, “Our peak demand is close to installed capacity- that’s why every time you lose one unit, you get blackout. Leaving out the transmission, I’m not talking about transmission yet I’m just talking about generator.”
In this regard, Jagdeo contextualized the importance of the gas project and particularly the power plant component being pursued. He said if government were to start up the gas project now, “a lot of the units can go into reserves” as these will be needed as a backup power supply.
In addition, he noted that periodically, the gas-fired power plant will be turned off for maintenance, which underlines the necessity of the reserves.
As such, he said it is “total nonsense” for the former Minister to perpetuate that the investment into the generators will be wasted. While debating the cost of the equipment currently in operation, Jagdeo added that the demand for electricity will also grow in the future, as he substantiated his point of keeping the equipment on reserve.
In fact, the leader predicts that the country’s power demand will be increased when the gas-fired plant kicks off, as the cost of power will be reduced significantly. “We were planning on a demand profile that would see nearly 500 megawatts- remember you have to bring on all the private demand that is self-generating- so on GPL now we have maybe 150 megawatts being supplied, but you have maybe over 100 megawatts being self-generated. Now when those people (see) the price (of power) comes down by 50 percent, those people are gonna stop generating and they are gonna come on to the national grid because it’s cheaper,” he said.
This means most of the power generated will be utilized the VP reasoned, as the industry sector is also expanding. With the national grid expected to service a likely 500-megawatt power demand in the future, Jagdeo assured that solar and hydro-electricity will be utilized to supplement the energy needs of the country.
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