Guyana Government Secures 36MW Power Ship to Address Grid Shortfalls

Guyana Government Secures 36MW Power Ship to Address Grid Shortfalls

Guyana Government Secures 36MW Power Ship to Address Grid Shortfalls

President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced on Friday the finalization of an agreement for a 36-megawatt (MW) power ship to bolster the capacity of Guyana’s national grid, addressing generation shortfalls faced by the state-run Guyana Power and Light (GPL). The procurement of this floating power plant from UCC Holding, a subsidiary of Qatari-based conglomerate Power International Holding, aims to alleviate the strain on GPL, which is currently generating 165 megawatts of power against a peak demand of 180 megawatts.

The power ship, set to be deployed within three weeks, will be connected to the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) at Everton in Berbice. President Ali highlighted that the facility’s chartering involves covering the vessel’s operational and maintenance costs for 24 months, ensuring a competitive cost for the additional capacity.

While the agreement was signed with UCC Holding, the vessel itself is owned by Turkish-based Karpowership, operating under a strategic alliance with UCC Holding for the Latin America region. The deployment of the power ship is imminent, with preparations underway to connect it to the national grid within 15 days.

A ministerial group led by Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has overseen the initiative, addressing the recent wave of power instability in the country. VP Jagdeo explained that the decision to bring in a 36MW vessel to the Berbice River was due to infrastructure limitations at GPL’s Kingston Power Plant, which cannot accommodate larger power injections.

The cost of the deal, around eight cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh), covers equipment and operation charges, with Guyana supplying the fuel. This intervention aims to support GPL until the completion of the Gas-to-Energy project, featuring a 300MW power plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara, utilizing natural gas from offshore oil production.

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The recent blackouts in Guyana have been attributed to various issues, including aged infrastructure, lack of maintenance, and increased electricity demand. The introduction of the power ship represents a proactive step by the government to stabilize the power supply while long-term solutions are implemented.

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