Electricity conservation measures kick in due to hot weather, increased demand

Last Updated on Friday, 14 August 2026, 12:17 by Denis Chabrol

There will be electricity conservation in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) due to a spike in demand as a result of the extremely dry weather and increased demand, officials said Friday.

Public Utilities Minister Deodat Indar said the DBIS has recorded a peak demand a 242.46 megawatts (MW), compared to 221 MW last year. Currently, there is reliable generation of 256 MW and government hopes to push that up to 280 MW by the end of August.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips said after the 280 MW target is achieved, there would be no need for rationing.

“The grid is taxed at the point where you know it’s literally at the highest on record, and we are asking the general public to look into conservation initiatives,” he told a news conference.

Mr Indar said all government offices are being asked to switch off lights at the end the work day. Massive flood lights at grounds where there are no events would be switched off to reduce the demand, he also said.

The Public Utilities Minister also said large customers- one on the East Bank and two in Berbice- have been so far asked to come off the grid during peak demand. Guyana Powe and Light (GPL) Executive Lead Kesh Nandlall said an ongoing assessment would determine whether more large consumers would be asked to cease consumption.

Government has also sounded an appeal to  the general.public to conserve electricity

Based on a projected increased peak demand of 266 MW during August. September and October. He attributed that increase to the hot El Nino weather, and increased housing demand, commercial and industrial customers. Mr Indar said in 2020, the customer base was 204,000 but up to August 13, there were 250,000 customers on the grid.

He noted that on Thursday, a large industrial consumer was taken off the grid on the East Bank Demerara and another was taken off in East Berbice. In both instances, he said the power stabilised.

He said water service was also disrupted in a section of East Berbice due to power outages, but supply has since been restored.