APNU demands full transparency on deal with Turkish power company

Jun 06, 2026 News

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…as billions spent on temporary fix and GTE project stalled

(Kaieteur News) – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Friday slammed the government for spending billions of dollars on a temporary fix to the energy sector in the form of two powerships, while the Gas-to-Energy project which was supposed to be the “permanent solution” is stalled.

At the party’s weekly press conference on Friday, Member of Parliament (MP) and Former Linden Mayor Sharma Solomon told reporters that the party notes with deep concern the growing national debate on the government’s reliance on the Turkish company Karpowership to keep the country’s lights on.

Solomon highlighted that there is one question being asked across social media platforms, radio call in programmes and new commentaries, as well as communities countrywide: “How can an oil-rich nation still be dependent on rented power ships to prevent blackouts?”

He reasoned that the question goes to the heart of a broader crisis covering governance planning and accountability under the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration.

“The PNCR/APNU calls for transparency, accountability, and a real energy plan for Guyana. For years, Guyanese were promised that the Gas-to-Energy Project would deliver affordable, reliable electricity and transform the nation’s energy landscape. Instead, the country faces uncertainty about the extension of costly power ship contracts, while critical details remain hidden from the public,” the politician stressed.

The former Linden Mayor reminded that the concerns being expressed by the citizens of Guyana are urgent and legitimate. Solomon lamented that there is a glaring lack of transparency surrounding the agreement that governs the powerships.

In addition, he highlighted that Guyanese are still in the dark about the government’s arrangements with the Turkish company.

“Citizens are increasingly worried about the risk of blackouts. Families, businesses, students, internet-dependent workers, and public institutions have been forced to wonder whether power interruptions could occur due to uncertainty about a private foreign supplier. No modern economy can thrive when electricity security remains in question,” Solomon old reporters.

APNU is of the opinion that Guyana’s continued dependence on the powerships highlight the delays as well as the shortcomings of the government’s energy strategy. The ships were introduced to fill a gap in the energy sector temporarily while the permanent solution; the Wales Gas Project is constructed and brought onstream. However, two years later the project is still facing delays.

Considering all this the party is making it clear that taxpayers have a right to question the financial burden of the said arrangement, while billions are spent on temporary measures, citizens continue to face rising cost living and businesses are struggling with operational expenses.

“Guyanese deserve to know whether better and more sustainable alternatives were considered. Serious concerns have emerged regarding Guyana’s energy security. A significant portion of the country’s electricity supply is now tied to a single foreign provider. This raises important questions about national resilience and long-term planning,” the politician said.

He said citizens are deeply concerned about the lack of transparency in contract negotiations, the risk of blackouts, the delays affecting major energy infrastructure projects and the escalating cost of temporary energy solutions, resulting in further decline in the government’s energy plan.

The party posited that emergency measures that are put in place are meant to be temporary and noted that under competent leadership should evolve into permanent solutions that are sustainable. However, the party believes that Guyana appears to be trapped within a cycle of delays, unanswered questions and extensions.

APNU called on the government to “immediately publish the full terms of any power ship extension agreement. Disclose the total cost to taxpayers of the arrangement since its inception. Provide a comprehensive and updated timeline for the completion of the Gas-to-Energy Project. Present a national energy security strategy that reduces dependence on temporary foreign generation assets. Subject all major energy contracts to greater parliamentary scrutiny and public accountability. Guyana’s citizens deserve more than excuses. They deserve transparency. They deserve competent planning. They deserve reliable electricity backed by long-term investments, not indefinite emergency arrangements.”

Meanwhile, Saiku Andrews another APNU MP said that Guyana will spend as much as US$190M to rent the two power ships to provide 111 megawatts of power at the end of 2026.

“If the minister was up to the task and competent enough to manage that ministry, and manage that project, what he would have done is initiate the purchase of dual fuel generation sets to add to the grid 120 megawatts for that price. At this stage, if he had made the right decision, and if he had consulted with the right people, Guyana could have added 120 megawatts of dual fuel generation capacity permanent for the cost of less than US$190 million.”

He reminded that in 2019 the APNU+AFC coalition government had invested in 46.5 megawatts of power through the purchase of new power generation sets by the end of the year but in the PPP’s case from 2020-2025 they have only managed to add 38.5 megawatts of power between 2020 and 2025.

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• APNU, Karpowership, power fix, Sharma Solomon, Turkish power company

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