Energy transformation unlocking vast business opportunities across Guyana- Min. Indar

Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar told delegates at the Guyana Energy Conference that the country’s rapid energy transformation is creating unprecedented opportunities for investors, service providers and local businesses.

Delivering remarks at the conference on Thursday, Minister Indar welcomed regional counterparts, including Roodal Moonilal, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries of Trinidad and Tobago, and thanked returning participants for their sustained interest in Guyana’s development.

“You have stayed the course,” the minister said, noting that while doing business in any growing economy comes with challenges, those who remain committed often find long-term success.

“When we enter into a contract, we ensure that it stands the test of inviolability, not to be broken or dishonoured,” he said, adding that such predictability builds investor confidence and strengthens partnerships.

Referencing comparisons to Norway’s petroleum governance journey, the minister noted that while Norway took decades to develop its fiscal frameworks following oil discovery, Guyana has moved swiftly to utilise petroleum revenues to build critical infrastructure in a country of fewer than one million people.

Outlining achievements under his portfolio, Minister Indar revealed that approximately 12,000 roads have been constructed over the past five years, many funded by petroleum revenues. He said the expansion of the contracting base has empowered communities and is helping to build a new middle class.

Central to his address was the government’s flagship Gas-to-Energy project, which he described as essential to lowering electricity costs and improving national competitiveness.

For decades, he said, high energy costs have constrained manufacturers and exporters. Drawing on his own experience in the private sector, the public utilities minister noted that fuel costs once accounted for roughly 25 per cent of production expenses in manufacturing.

“That affects your ability to compete locally and regionally,” he said.

The Gas-to-Energy project, he explained, involves complex engineering works and nearly 1,000 foundation bases, with power generation expected by the end of the year. The project is designed to reduce electricity costs for households and businesses.

Beyond electricity, the initiative is unlocking further opportunities.

The government has issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for a gas bottling and logistics facility and a fertiliser plant capable of producing approximately 300,000 tonnes annually to support farmers and reduce agricultural input costs.

He also confirmed that planning is already underway for Gas-to-Energy Phase Two, a 300-megawatt plant, with an additional power facility being explored for the Berbice region as demand surges.

Over the past five years alone, approximately 44,000 new customers have been added to the national grid due to housing expansion and onshore oil and gas activities.

On the aviation front, Minister Indar announced that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion is underway, including the construction of a second terminal by a UK firm. This is expected to be completed by 2028.

The expansion will support both passenger and cargo growth, strengthening Guyana’s food export capacity.

Additionally, new airports are being developed in Region Six (Berbice) and Region Nine (Lethem), while the Eugene F. Correia International Airport is being modernised.

The minister stated that the goal is to position Guyana as a regional aviation hub while ensuring visitors immediately sense the country’s transformation upon arrival.

Minister Indar also outlined plans to develop Guyana into a maritime hub, including efforts to achieve flag state status and expand port infrastructure along the Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice rivers.

Dredging works are planned to accommodate larger vessels and reduce freight costs, while development of a deep-water port remains a priority to support the growing oil and gas sector and wider trade ambitions.

While natural gas remains central to immediate plans, Indar stressed Guyana is building a diversified energy matrix.

Over the next five years, approximately 100 megawatts of solar power will be deployed, including 55 grid-tied solar farms and installations in hinterland communities. Three mini-hydropower projects have been completed, and an RFP is currently out for 165 megawatts of hydropower development at Amaila Falls.

Together with combined-cycle gas turbines, he said, these investments will reshape the country’s energy landscape and create opportunities across construction, engineering, operations and maintenance services.

Minister Indar emphasised that the government’s strategy is to ensure oil and gas do not dominate the economy to the exclusion of other sectors, citing lessons from jurisdictions where petroleum once accounted for as much as 35 per cent of GDP.

“We are working on multiple tracks,” he said, pointing to investments in health, education, agriculture, drainage and irrigation, and security to support sustainable growth.

“We are your working partner,” he told delegates. “Meet with us. Let us guide you. Let us show you where the opportunities lie, because in every challenge, there is opportunity.”