Opposition, business community bemoan incessant blackouts

Nov 03, 2023 News

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…GPL says more generators being procured to alleviate crisis

Kaieteur News – Amid incessant blackouts here, Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce on Thursday voiced their dissatisfaction with the ongoing power outages that have plagued the citizens of Guyana for the past several months.

But the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has stated that it experienced a historic peak in electricity demand, reaching 182 Megawatts (MW) on September 29, 2023, attributed to rising temperatures in the region. GPL’s Development and Expansion Plan for 2023-2027 projected 186.6 MW in 2023, leading to the acquisition of 28.9 MW of generation through public tenders. The additional generation is expected to become operational in mid-December, addressing the current peak demand challenges. GPL acknowledged that, to prevent total system shutdowns, they have temporarily de-energized some distribution feeders during peak demand periods, resulting in service disruptions. The company assured customers that the situation will be resolved by mid-December.

In response, the Opposition called on the Government of Guyana (GoG) to provide a clear explanation to the public regarding the persistent electricity rationing, especially after the government’s claims of removing “big businesses” that were supposedly straining the generation capacity. The Opposition contended that this situation either reflects a fundamental misdiagnosis of the issue or a significant failure in addressing it. Immediate rectification is necessary, and they demanded accountability from President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, and Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill for the failures in planning, management, and execution.

The Opposition emphasized that GPL had consistently warned of the need for additional generation capacity in 2023, and the lack of support in acquiring this capacity led to the current crisis. This crisis was exacerbated by a recent 46.5 MW generation failure at the Garden of Eden Plant, East Bank Demerara. According to GPL’s own reports, 63% of generation capacity for the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected system is classified as “unreliable.” The Opposition called for an end to this unreliable practice and a focus on adding reliable capacity to the system until the Gas-to-Energy project is completed.

They also stressed the importance of investing in a reliable transmission and distribution network to ensure electricity supply reliability, alongside improvements in generation capacity. The Opposition advocates for substantial investment in this infrastructure in the future.

Regarding the Amaila Falls Hydro project, concerns about its feasibility persist, especially due to low water levels in the Amaila River during the dry season. The Opposition suggests exploring various renewable energy sources, such as solar, as viable alternatives.

Moreover, the Opposition emphasizes that Guyanese citizens deserve reliable electricity service and calls for a shift in the government’s focus from the Amaila Falls project to addressing the ongoing blackouts. They also advocate for evaluating long-term power generation options, including natural gas, solar, hydro, or wind power and consistent investment in the electrical transmission grid to ensure reliability.

Additionally, the GCCI also expressed disappointment with the continuous power outages, emphasizing their adverse effects on enterprise productivity and overall economic performance. However, the GCCI supported projects like the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) Project, and Solar Farms as the future of Guyana’s energy supply. The body called for measures to bridge the current generation gap and improved forecasting, planning, and investments in the energy sector.

Vice President Jagdeo, during his press conference, blamed the blackout woes on the previous administration, citing that they “killed” the PPP-ambitious Amaila Falls Hydro project. He also blamed the administration for a lack of investment in the energy sector. Notably, Jagdeo also said that the government is equally concerned as the ordinary citizens about the blackout woes.

Notably, the Vice President was asked if the additional power that will be added to the grid in December will be sufficient to last the country until the GTE project is completed – he made it clear that it would not be possible and said that the government will have to continuously invest until the GTE project is onstream.

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• Aubrey Norton, Bharat Dindyal, Bharrat Jagdeo, GPL Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Leader of the Opposition, Vice President (VP)

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