Wales power plant at full capacity next year, plans afoot for “explosive” electricity demand

Last Updated on Friday, 20 February 2026, 22:02 by Writer

The 300-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant is not expected to generate at full capacity until mid-2027, even as authorities accelerate plans to keep pace with an increasing annual demand that now stands at 65 percent over the past five years, officials said on Thursday.

“By the middle of next year, we’re going to have the combined cycle fully completed so all 300 megawatts will be completed. So, that is what is being built right now,” Ministry of Natural Resources Consultant, Winston Brassington told the Guyana Energy Conference which wrapped up on Friday.

He said the contractor, the Houston, Texas-headquartered LINDSAYCA, had “promised” the government that the energy plant would generate 228 megawatts from the simple cycle four gas turbines.

In preparation for the gas-to-energy plant, Mr Brassington told the conference that Guyana has already built out a 230 kV (230,000 volts) transmission for the first time. “Given the explosive growth in electricity demand, we’re moving from 69 kV to 230 kV,” he said.

That cable has already stretched from Wales, West Bank Demerara to Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

Still to be completed are the installation of three new substations, a main substation and control centre at Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, and three substations in West Demerara. “Those three substations will be substantially completed by May,” he said.

In terms of the growth in electricity consumption, Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Power and Light, Kesh Nandlall told the conference that electricity demand has increased from 903 gigawatt hours in 2020 to 1,485 gigawatt hours in 2025, marking a 65 percent increase. “The same customers are demanding more, and bigger customers are coming on,” he said.

Mr Nandlall said GPL moved “quickly” to meet the increased demand by adding 186 megawatts over the past five years.

Peak demand, he said, is 221.5 megawatts, while available reliable capacity is 260 megawatts.

Though the installed capacity is 300 megawatts, he said generating sets are taken out of operation for maintenance.

Mr Nandlall said GPL was taking steps to “bridge that gap” until year-end when the gas-to-energy project would come online.

With peak demand forecast to be 1,650 megawatts or 1.650 gigawatts by 2030, he said Guyana has to increase its generating capacity by 600 percent.

To reach that target, Mr Brassington said plans are moving ahead to build a second gas-to-energy plant at Wales from 2026.

He said the government had prequalified five firms to build out the expansion in three phases.

The second phase would also cater for the production of 300,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser annually, and the construction of a glass factory.