The Gas-to-Energy transmission network is 99 per cent complete, bringing the country closer to delivering cheaper and more reliable electricity to homes and businesses, Head of the Gas-to-Energy Taskforce and Consultant at the Ministry of Natural Resources Winston Brassington said.
The network, designed to transmit power generated in Wales across the Demerara River to communities and industries, will replace the Bunker C heavy fuel oil currently imported by Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) to generate electricity for the national grid, Brassington said. The shift to natural gas is expected to lower costs for consumers.
Crews have erected 370 transmission towers and poles and strung approximately 82 kilometres of power lines, Brassington said. Among the structures are four river-crossing towers spanning the Demerara River, standing as high as 150 metres and carrying electricity across the river through a double-circuit transmission system.
The completed network includes a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission backbone running from Wales to Goedverwagting, supported by additional 69 kV corridors extending across the West Bank, Georgetown and the East Coast. Three new substations and upgrades at Vreed-en-Hoop are also substantially advanced and will help distribute electricity across the Demerara-Berbice Integrated System, Brassington said.
Procurement of transmission materials is complete, and the project has recorded more than two million safe man-hours without a fatality, according to Brassington. When energised, the network will carry electricity from a new 300-megawatt power plant being developed in Wales.
Authorities project the first gas turbine will come online by the end of 2026, with all turbines commissioned by the first quarter of 2027 and full combined-cycle operations targeted by June 2027. The Gas-to-Energy project is expected to cut electricity costs by around half, reduce dependence on imported fuel and unlock new industrial opportunities.
