The government’s vision for energy and industrial development in Berbice includes the potential to process Guyana’s abundant bauxite resources through the establishment of an alumina refinery.
Speaking at the launch of a special edition of the EH+ Energy and Hydrocarbon Magazine at the Pegasus Suites & Corporate Centre in Kingston, Georgetown, on Wednesday evening, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, said the planned expansion of Guyana’s energy infrastructure could unlock opportunities previously beyond reach.
“Contemplate for a moment that we’re speaking about enough electricity once Berbice is built out to be able to have an industrial and petrochemical complex at the mouth of the Berbice River that will include the capability of processing our bauxite resources with the construction of an alumina refinery,” the minister stated.
An alumina refinery is an industrial facility that extracts pure aluminium oxide from raw bauxite ore. It is a crucial middle step in the supply chain, taking mined bauxite and transforming it into the raw material needed to manufacture primary aluminium. For decades, Guyana has exported bauxite primarily as a raw commodity.
The minister added that the planned energy projects, including the second gas pipeline and additional power generation capacity, could support major investments in manufacturing, petrochemicals, information technology and mineral processing.
The minister emphasised that energy and electricity will be at the centre of Guyana’s next phase of economic transformation as the government seeks to maximise the benefits of its natural resources through value-added production.