PUC and the GPL

May 02, 2026 Editorial, News

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(Kaieteur News) – The latest findings of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on the performance of Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) should trouble every citizen who depends on a stable and reliable electricity supply.

The numbers are not just disappointing they are damning. When a national utility meets only 2.5 out of 8 performance targets, it is not merely underperforming; it is failing in a fundamental way.

Yet, what is even more troubling than GPL’s chronic inefficiency is the regulatory response. Once again, the PUC has opted for leniency. No penalties. No firm consequences. Only gentle reminders and hopeful expectations that things will improve.

This approach has become all too familiar.

The Commission’s own report acknowledges “significant concerns” about system reliability and financial performance. These are not minor issues. Reliability speaks to the daily experiences of households and businesses blackouts, voltage fluctuations, damaged appliances, interrupted production. Financial performance, on the other hand, determines whether GPL can sustain itself without becoming an ever-growing burden on taxpayers.

And still, despite these glaring deficiencies, GPL is effectively being given another pass.

The justification for this regulatory softness is not new. The utility points to labour shortages, infrastructure works, and external factors such as accidents and electricity theft.

The PUC itself has cited issues like vehicular damage to infrastructure, global software updates, and the migration of skilled workers to the oil and gas sector. These are real challenges, yes—but they are not new, nor are they unique to Guyana.

The question that must be asked is simple: at what point do explanations become excuses?

GPL’s performance history shows a pattern of incremental improvements overshadowed by persistent underachievement.

For instance, while the number of customer interruptions fell from 126 to 86, this still exceeded the target. System losses, instead of declining, actually increased to 25.43 percent—well above the acceptable benchmark. These losses, driven by technical inefficiencies and electricity theft, represent millions in lost revenue annually.

This is not a company on the brink of transformation; it is one stuck in a cycle of partial progress and recurring failure.

To its credit, the PUC has acknowledged some areas of improvement better generation availability, modest gains in voltage regulation, and progress in billing. There is also mention of ongoing investments in substations, renewable energy, and advanced technology. These are positive steps, but they are not enough to offset the broader picture of underperformance.

More importantly, progress without accountability is a dangerous combination.

When a regulated monopoly consistently fails to meet its targets and faces no real consequences, what incentive exists for meaningful change? Regulation, by its very nature, is supposed to enforce standards, not merely observe them. By repeatedly choosing leniency, the PUC risks undermining its own authority and sending the wrong signal to GPL that mediocrity is acceptable.

Consumers, meanwhile, continue to bear the cost.

They pay for unreliable service. They absorb the impact of outages. They endure the inefficiencies of a system that cannot meet modern standards, even as Guyana positions itself as a rapidly developing, oil-rich nation. Reliable electricity is not a luxury; it is a basic requirement for development. Without it, ambitions for industrial growth, digital transformation, and improved quality of life will remain constrained.

GPL has outlined plans to improve—integrating advanced technologies, optimizing labour, improving cash flow. These are necessary, but they have been heard before in different forms. Plans and promises are not the issue; execution is.

The PUC, for its part, has expressed confidence that ongoing projects will enable GPL to meet its targets in 2026 and beyond. That optimism must now be matched with firmness. If targets are missed again, there must be consequences clear, measurable, and unavoidable.

Anything less would be a disservice to the people of Guyana.

At this juncture, the country cannot afford a weak utility or a weak regulator. Both must rise to the occasion. GPL must demonstrate that it can operate efficiently, reduce losses, and deliver reliable service. The PUC must demonstrate that it is willing to enforce standards, not just recommend them.

The era of excuses must come to an end.

Guyana is changing rapidly. Its infrastructure, institutions, and services must keep pace. GPL’s current performance shows that it is not there yet.

The question now is whether those responsible for oversight will continue to tolerate failure or finally demand excellence.

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• Editorial, Guyana Power and Light, Public Utilities Commission, reliable electricity supply

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