Guyana has experienced significant economic growth over the past five years, resulting in a dramatic increase in electricity demand. Peak demand has surged from 120 megawatts (MW) in 2020 to 236 MW by the end of 2025, marking a 100% increase in just five years.
During the Energy Conference at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, CEO of Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc., Kesh Nandlall, highlighted the company’s commitment to ensuring reliable electricity generation. This year’s conference theme is “Building tomorrow’s future today.”
Nandlall reported that GPL has expanded its customer base from 201,000 in 2020 to 244,000, a 21% increase. Despite the heightened demand, he assured attendees that efforts have been made to provide reliable electricity across the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).
Power generation increased from 903 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2020 to 1,485 GWh—a 65% rise. Nandlall outlined the steps taken to meet this growing demand, including the addition of over 186 MW of firm capacity, consisting of:
46.5 MW at Garden of Eden (fossil fuel)
28.9 MW at Colombia
36 MW from a power ship in the Berbice River
60 MW from a power ship in the Demerara River
18 MW of solar energy, with 10 MW in Berbice and 8 MW in Essequibo
Currently, the DBIS provides approximately 260 MW of reliable firm electricity, excluding solar. Nandlall stated, “We have over 300 MW installed, but with regular maintenance, some units are taken offline. By 2026, we expect the DBIS capacity to exceed 285 MW.”
Looking forward, GPL anticipates continued growth in electricity demand. Nandlall projected that peak demand could reach 1,650 MW by 2030, representing a staggering 600% increase in generating capacity. This growth is attributed to rising power consumption from existing customers, the influx of new customers, and the government’s rapid development of both the housing and industrial sectors.
