Guyana Power and Light to phase out fossil fuel generators

Last Updated on Friday, 10 June 2016, 14:56 by Denis Chabrol

Coverage courtesy Fly Jamaica

Guyana’s state-owned power company is pushing ahead with plans to phase out fossil fuel electricity generators and replace them with solar farms and other renewable energy sources, Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson announced Friday in New York.

‘As our existing thermal generators become redundant we will be replacing them with renewables,” he said. He was one of several panelists at a session titled “The Investment Landscape: Opportunities Abound in Guyana” at the Guyana Means Business Investment Conference at was held at the Harvard Club.

Patterson said the United Arab Emirates-based International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has shortlisted Guyana for concessional financing for the construction of a seven megawatt solar farm.  He added that a five megawatt solar power farm would be installed in West Coast Berbice to replace a 4.6 megawatt fossil-fuel generator there.

With the Wartsila generators at Land of Canaan approaching the end of their lifespan, he said they would be replaced with renewable energy sources. A one megawatt solar farm is also expected to be built in Bartica.

The Guyana Power and Light has a total capacity of 131 megawatts with a total peak demand of 110megawatts. Private entities generate about 60 t 70 megawatts.

The Public Infrastructure Minister said he is next Monday expected to receive the final report of a power generation study that will examine Guyana’s needs up to 2035.