GPL releases video of fire-bombers at Good Hope sub-station

Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, 17:08 by Written By Denis Chabrol

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) on Wednesday condemned the “firebomb sabotage” of Good Hope sub-station, East Coast Demerara by two persons and asked police to treat it as an act of terror against critical national infrastructure.

GPL said the act amounted to “deliberate sabotage” of its Good Hope distribution substation, East Coast Demerara, on the night of Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

At approximately 10:46 PM, Closed-Circuit Television  (CCTV) cameras captured two individuals at the substation, one of whom threw a Molotov cocktail, an improvised firebomb, into the 69kV energized substation switchyard. The matter was immediately reported to the Guyana Police Force, the power company said.

In a separate statement, police said they discovered four glass bottles containing a liquid suspected to be kerosene, with pieces of cloth attached, in the vicinity of the transmission line. A black lighter, a saw frame and several pieces of broken glass bottles were also found in the area, police added.

“This was not only vandalism but a malicious attack that could have caused catastrophic damage. A firebomb in a live high-voltage yard can ignite transformer oil, cables and switchgear, causing fires and explosions that endanger staff and nearby residents and destroy the substation,” GPL said.

The power company sais if that attack had succeeded, it would have resulted in a total shutdown of the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) affecting in excess of 220,000 customers and the Good Hope sub-station would have suffered extensive physical damage to its equipment, taking not less than 12 months to reconstruct and billions of dollars in expenditures.

GPL said the destroyed high-voltage equipment could take months and significant cost to replace, with major losses in revenue, emergency restoration and grid security.

Fortunately, the power company said there were no line or feeder trips and supply was not interrupted. GPL says its engineers inspected the site overnight and confirmed no major equipment was damaged. Further investigations are ongoing.

The power company highlighted that under the Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Act 2015, a “terrorist act” includes an act that causes or is likely to cause loss of life, serious bodily harm or damage to property, or that disrupts public safety or public utilities and other essential infrastructure, intended to intimidate the public or a section of the public.

“A firebomb thrown into a live substation falls squarely within that description,” the utility provider said.

GPL says it has formally asked the Guyana Police Force to investigate the incident under that Act, together with the arson, malicious damage and conspiracy provisions of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.

“Those who carried out this act, and anyone who planned, funded, aided or abetted it, must be arrested and prosecuted.

GPL says it has handed its CCTV footage to investigators and increased security and patrols at all substations and power plant across the grid.

The power company says persons who damage, attempt to damage, or assist others in damaging GPL facilities will face prosecution under the laws of Guyana and GPL will pursue every legal avenue, including civil recovery of all losses.

GPL thanked its staff, security personnel and the Guyana Police Force for their swift response.