Dominican Republic electricity company wants to improve Guyana Power and Light’s management

Last Updated on Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 1:44 by Denis Chabrol

The Dominican Republic (DR)-headquartered electricity company, InterEnergy Group (IEG), said it is ready to assist the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) to manage its electricity supply including the 300 megawatts that would be generated from the natural gas-fired power plant being built at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

“We believe that we can bring to Guyana Power and Light the knowledge that has been gained over the years and help them manage their system, their electric system in a better way especially once the 300 megawatts of new generation comes on line and the future demands that they will have in their growth profile,” IEG Chairman, Rolando González Bunster told the United Caribbean Forum. That forum, which was organised by the Dominican Chamber of Commerce in Guyana, heard remarks by former United States (US) President, Bill Clinton and Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali.

IEG and GPL in January, 2024 inked a memorandum of understanding to hold talks about electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and the efficient management of electricity systems and assets.

He said former President Clinton convinced him to get into the energy business in the early 2000s.

The IEG Chairman said his company planned to install 600 megawatts of wind and solar farms in the DR and have a fleet of solar-powered buses to transport seven to 10 million tourists. “The idea is to have the first utility in the Americas that is 100 percent renewable,” he said.

The company, he added, would be inaugurating 60 solar-powered automobile charging stations in the DR.

IEG, he said, was also in the midst of acquiring an unnamed company that has a total of 70 megawatts of renewable energy in the region- Virgin Islands, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Guatemala- and taking over the largest solar farm. “These are things that push us forward in finding ways to integrate ourselves into the region more,” he added.

IEG, which generates and transmits electricity in the eastern DR, started with two one megawatt containers and today boasts supplying more than 65 major hotels. As part of its plans to now convert that utility to 100 percent zero emissions by 2030.