Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) expects the country’s persistent electricity interruptions to ease substantially by mid-2027 as new generation capacity and major transmission and distribution projects come online.
Kesh Nandlall, Team Leader of GPL’s Executive Management Committee, said the utility is currently benefiting from roughly US$800 million in investment to expand generation and strengthen the national electricity network. He noted that major power infrastructure requires considerable time to design and construct, particularly transmission facilities.
Nandlall explained that the objective of the ongoing investments is not to suggest that every outage will disappear, but to improve electricity service reliability once the projects are completed significantly.
Since 2020, approximately 210 megawatts (MW) of additional generation have been added to Guyana’s electricity system, including capacity supplied by the two power ships. Solar energy has also become an increasingly significant part of the national generation mix.
Two solar facilities, providing 10 MW in Berbice and 8 MW in Essequibo, are already operational and connected to the grid. Another 15 MW solar installation is under development in Linden, while renewable generation has also been introduced in Bartica, Leguan and Wakenaam.
Gas-to-Energy expected to transform available capacity.
The Gas-to-Energy project is expected to significantly increase generation. According to GPL, initial electricity production is expected before the end of 2026, with additional capacity coming online in the first quarter of 2027.
Nandlall said the current implementation schedule indicates that approximately 300 MW of generation will be available by June 2027. He indicated that this additional capacity should substantially reduce the frequency and severity of the electricity problems currently affecting consumers.
The expansion comes at a time when electricity consumption has risen sharply. Peak demand on the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System reached 242.6 MW, compared with about 221 MW in 2025. GPL’s customer base has also grown from about 204,000 in 2020 to approximately 250,000, reflecting rapid growth in residential, commercial and industrial activity.
Network constraints remain a major issue.
Officials have stressed that electricity interruptions cannot be attributed solely to a lack of generation.
Parts of the distribution system are now operating under considerable pressure because electricity demand has grown faster than some sections of the existing network were designed to handle. Several feeders in Regions Three and Four, for example, have experienced capacity constraints.
GPL is responding through load redistribution, building additional feeders, and major transmission upgrades. The company has outlined plans involving hundreds of kilometres of new transmission and distribution infrastructure, alongside upgrades to existing substations and the construction of new ones.
Some interruptions are also planned so that GPL crews can safely replace transformers, conductors and other equipment. Other outages occur unexpectedly when external contractors or heavy machinery damage the electricity infrastructure.
Measures to manage peak consumption
The utility and Government are also attempting to reduce pressure on the grid during the evening, when electricity use is highest.
Consumers have been urged to reduce unnecessary electricity use between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Government agencies have been asked to switch off non-essential equipment and lighting, while businesses with their own generating facilities are being encouraged to use that capacity during peak periods.
GPL has also been working to increase its reserve generation. The company previously reported about 256 MW of reliable generation capacity, with additional units and maintenance equipment returning, expected to raise available capacity to roughly 280 MW.
Modernising the national grid
Beyond generation, GPL is investing in technology to improve the utility’s ability to detect and respond to failures.
GPL is establishing a new National Control Centre with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology. The facility will enable operators to monitor the electricity network in real time, identify faults more quickly, and, where possible, automatically reroute customers to alternative power lines.
The first phase will focus on the transmission network and substations, with later stages expected to extend monitoring to distribution feeders, transformers and individual meters. GPL’s broader objective is to develop a smart electricity grid by 2030.
With electricity demand continuing to grow alongside Guyana’s economic expansion, the utility’s strategy combines new generation with extensive grid reinforcement and increased use of digital monitoring.
If current project schedules remain on track, GPL expects the combination of additional generation and network upgrades to substantially improve electricity reliability by mid-2027.