The Government of Guyana is assessing proposals from five international companies and consortia to develop the long-awaited Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP). President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said a decision on the preferred bidder is expected after the ongoing evaluation.
The 165-megawatt (MW) hydropower project is being positioned as a key component of Guyana’s efforts to expand renewable energy, strengthen the electricity supply and reduce the carbon intensity of key economic sectors, particularly mining.
President Ali recently highlighted the mining industry’s growing electricity demand, noting that two major gold operations are expected to become fully operational as early as next year. Their combined electricity requirements are estimated at approximately 170MW, with each operation requiring about 85MW.
While the mining companies could generate their own electricity, the President said this would likely involve diesel or heavy fuel oil, which would run counter to Guyana’s efforts to move toward cleaner power sources.
He said electricity from the Gas-to-Energy project could offer a lower-carbon alternative. At the same time, the Amaila Falls facility could eventually play an even greater role in meeting the expanding mining sector’s energy needs.
“Gas offers an opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of mining,” President Ali said, while pointing to the potential for Amaila Falls to contribute to the country’s growing electricity requirements.
He also stressed that the power requirements of the two major mining developments represent only part of the country’s anticipated future demand, as exploration and other economic activities continue to expand.
The Government’s request for proposals for the Amaila Falls project closed in May, drawing five international bids.
President Ali said the technical assessment is already underway and that negotiations will begin with the highest-ranked bidder once the process is complete.
The project is being pursued under a structure that combines design, construction and financing, with a long-term power purchase agreement.
The President said the Government’s priority is to secure a financially sustainable arrangement that ultimately delivers electricity at an acceptable cost to consumers.
Among the bidders is a consortium comprising United States-based OEC USA, GE Vernova, and Australian engineering company Worley. Its proposal was valued at approximately US$800.06 million.
A consortium comprising China CAMC Engineering Company Limited (CAMCE) and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) submitted the second-highest bid, valued at US$668 million.
China Gezhouba Group Company Limited-HYI submitted another proposal at approximately US$432.34 million, while the Chinese state-owned Sinohydro Corporation Limited submitted a bid of about US$416.87 million.
The fifth submission came from a joint venture between India’s Afcons Infrastructure Limited and Sweden’s Scandian Infrastructure AB. The tender information did not specify a financial value for that proposal.
Several of the companies involved have previously taken part in major infrastructure and public-sector projects in Guyana.
The Amaila Falls development was re-tendered following the Government’s fresh request for proposals in 2025.
Under the current framework, the project is expected to have a minimum generation capacity of 165MW and to include the hydroelectric dam, powerhouse, transmission infrastructure, substation and a storage reservoir covering approximately 23 square kilometres.
The Government has also left open the possibility of increasing the project’s generating capacity through updated engineering and turbine technology.
The latest procurement framework places significant responsibility on prospective developers, including responsibility for geotechnical risks associated with construction.
Bidders must also demonstrate both technical experience and financial strength to undertake a major hydropower development. To qualify, companies or consortia must have completed at least three hydropower projects of 100MW or more in the previous decade.
Amaila Falls has been under consideration for more than a decade and was originally identified as a major component of the Low Carbon Development Strategy, developed during the administration of former President and current Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
The project faced significant political and financial difficulties over the years.
United States-based Sithe Global, selected as the developer and backed by Blackstone, withdrew in 2013, citing insufficient political consensus in Guyana’s Parliament.
The current administration has renewed efforts to bring the project to fruition as part of a broader push to expand Guyana’s energy infrastructure and reduce dependence on fossil-fuel-based generation.
Guyana has also attracted interest from international financing institutions and development partners as it advances major energy projects.
The United States Export-Import Bank, already involved in financing the Gas-to-Energy project, has expressed interest in supporting Amaila Falls.
The matter was among the infrastructure issues discussed during President Ali’s meeting with EXIM Bank President and Chairman John Jovanovic in New York on September 21.
With electricity demand rising rapidly across Guyana, particularly from mining and other large-scale economic activities, the Government is seeking to secure additional generation capacity and increase renewable energy’s share in the national power mix.
The outcome of the current bid evaluation will therefore determine the next stage of one of Guyana’s longest-running major infrastructure projects.