Amaila Hydropower project remain ‘high’ on gov’t agenda – Jagdeo affirms

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has affirmed that the development of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) remains ‘high’ on the government’s agenda.

Dr Jagdeo, also the country’s vice president, made the revelation in direct response to media operatives’ questions at a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House in Georgetown.

“It’s a crucial project for us to achieve the energy mix that we said that we want for Guyana…It’s high on the agenda and it’s still a financially feasible proposition,” Dr Jagdeo underscored, noting that the energy transition is already taking place.

The government had embarked on an evaluation process on four companies that wanted to be prequalified for the 165-megawatt (MW) Amaila project. In 2023, four companies – Rialma S.A. (Grupo Rialma) from Brazil; and China International Water & Elec. Corp; Lindsayca CH4 Guyana Inc., and OEC, GE Vernova and Worley – had submitted tenders to be prequalified for the project.

“We will probably have, to either, engage the best of those or alternately go out to another process, but we did not put enough policy time on it,” the general secretary added.

This massive development was a flagship project of the previous PPP/C Government. It was halted by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) opposition, using their one-seat majority in the National Assembly.

The Administration initially conducted extensive studies of the project, including an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA). Some US$80 million (garnered from the Guyana-Norway partnership) was already allocated to finance the project, before it was halted.

During the 2020 election campaign, the government vowed to restart the project, so that the people of Guyana benefit extensively.

As part of its efforts to develop an energy mix, the government through the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has embarked on a solar farm programme in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice). When fully operationalised, the farms will produce 35 megawatts of solar power.

Together with the Gas-to-shore Energy project in Wales, Region Three, the government aims to expand generation capacity to meet the demand.