Government targets 20% cut in electricity demand by 2030

Jul 03, 2026 News

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…Smart meters, solar incentives central to new energy strategy

(Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana is targeting a 20 percent reduction in electricity demand by 2030 through its newly launched Demand Side Management (DSM) Action Plan.

The plan was officially handed over to Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and Minister of Public Utilities and Energy Deodat Indar on Wednesday by Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) Team Leader Kesh Nandlall and Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) CEO Dr. Mahender Sharma, GPL said in a release.

The document lays out a strategic pathway to energy efficiency, prioritising measures designed to deliver immediate, practical benefits for both the country and individual consumers.

GPL said the plan’s implementation is expected to generate 516 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in energy savings, a 20 percent cut based on a projected electricity generation of 2,508 GWh by 2030. Its success will hinge on two groups: consumers who adopt DSM measures, and utilities that promote and enable that adoption.

The initiative comes as Guyana’s economic growth continues to push up electricity demand across sectors. Balancing that growth with sustainable development remains a priority under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, which calls for greater use of renewable energy, reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels, and improved energy efficiency.

“This DSM Action Plan complements ongoing national efforts to expand electricity generation, recognising that while increasing electricity supply remains important to meeting growing energy demand, energy efficiency and demand-side management play an integral role in optimising energy use, enhancing system performance, and supporting Guyana’s transition to a sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon energy future,” GPL said.

Prime Minister Phillips said the plan arrives at a critical moment, as Guyana’s rapid economic expansion continues to drive electricity demand.

“If you have such high economic growth, you become a site for investment,” he said. “The more investors you have, and the more social sector spending by government improving housing, improving educational facilities, including hospitals, improving infrastructure, everything demands some increase in electricity, both on the supply side and the demand side.”

PM Phillips added that as government works to expand generation through transitional and renewable energy sources, responsible consumption is equally essential if consumers are to benefit fully from lower costs, a principle he said is built into the plan.

He also pointed to households as central to Guyana’s changing energy landscape, encouraging citizens to take a more active role in generation and conservation.

“One of the big points here is that the average household is now being encouraged to become what you call a prosumer, a provider and a consumer of energy at the same time,” Phillips said. “If you have solar panels on your home, it means that you could help to satisfy your own need, and the excess becomes an incentive for you, because the excess goes to the grid and you can get credits,” he continued.

The plan’s success, he said, will depend not just on infrastructure and policy, but on sustained public education that instills responsible electricity use from an early age.

Minister Indar welcomed the plan, calling it a practical framework for balancing electricity generation with responsible consumption. Managing demand, he noted, eases pressure on generation infrastructure and supports a more balanced approach to conservation and long-term cost management.

“The Plan promotes the efficient and responsible use of electricity through measures that encourage energy conservation and greater demand-side flexibility,” Indar said. “In doing so, it supports more efficient energy consumption patterns that will help to improve overall system efficiency, lower energy costs, enhance grid reliability, manage peak demand, maximise the benefits of existing and future energy infrastructure investments, and stimulate job creation and economic growth.”

Meanwhile, GPL said the DSM Action Plan outlines ten priority initiatives spanning five sectors residential, office buildings, commercial establishments, industrial, and community services to be rolled out over five years: Electrical utility-end initiatives, DSM awareness programmes, Government procurement standards, Promotion of energy-efficient (EE) appliances, Energy audits of large consumers, Promotion of the CARICOM Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code, Efficient and resilient water utility operations, Energy-efficient street lighting, Integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

Additionally, end initiatives will include upgrades to distribution lines, the rollout of smart meters and/or prepaid meters to consumers by 2030. There will also be improvements to the billing system for customers. There will also be DSM awareness programmes that will encompass residential and commercial outreaches through social media platforms, and training programmes, workshops, exhibitions and school-based education initiatives.

“At the same time, Government procurement for public buildings will focus on energy efficiency retrofits, including air conditioning and refrigeration upgrades across Ministries and agencies, as well as energy-efficient considerations in new public building designs and renovations. In addition, the promotion of energy-efficient (EE) appliances will include labelling initiatives for air conditioners and refrigerators, along with awareness and dissemination programmes targeting sales outlets, importers, the private sector, and regional events. Surveys of hotels and resorts will also support this effort,” the statement said.

GPL said that within the commercial sector, energy audits of large consumers will include energy assessments, power factor improvement, and the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. “Alongside these measures, the promotion of the CARICOM Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code will focus on capacity-building workshops for civil and architectural engineers and encouraging the adoption of the code in the design of new public buildings,” the company added.

Turning to the water sector the company said that there will be resilient and efficient water utility operations that will span energy efficient retrofits such as pump upgrades and variable frequency drives (VFDs), and the integration of renewable energy at water treatment plants (WTPs), well stations, and associated buildings.

Meanwhile, there will be energy-efficient street lighting installed across local communities, with implementation being supported by Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) under local government and public works road upgrade programmes.

In a similar fashion, “distributed energy resources will be promoted across public and private buildings, including rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential and commercial customers and installations at Ministries, banks, and other prominent public and private facilities.”

There will also be electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure that will support the establishment of charging stations which will be places across ministries and the private sector along with other efforts to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles on local roadways.

As a collective, GPL said these measures aim to further strengthen the utility sector and support more efficient and sustainable management of the supply of electricity and the countrywide demand.

GPL and GEA, as the plan’s primary implementing institutions, said they will continue to collaborate on its rollout.

“Through its targeted initiatives, the Plan provides a national framework to guide informed energy decision-making, harness Guyana’s energy efficiency potential, and support the adoption of more sustainable, affordable and reliable energy practices, while advancing the country’s broader transition toward a cleaner, low-carbon energy future,” GPL said.

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• Demand Side Management, electricity demand, GPL, Guyana Power and Light

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