By Javone Vickerie | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Guyanese consumers waiting for relief from high electricity costs will have to wait until the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) Project achieves a critical power generation threshold in 2027 before the government delivers on its promised 50 percent rate cut, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips confirmed.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, August 14, 2026, Prime Minister Phillips outlined the updated commissioning timeline for the multi-million-dollar energy development at Wales, West Bank Demerara.
Phased Generation: First 57 MW in Late 2026, 228 MW by Q1 2027
According to the Prime Minister, electricity from the project will be integrated into the national grid in phases:
- Initial 57 MW by Year-End 2026: One of the project’s four Siemens SGT-800 gas turbines is scheduled to begin commercial operations before the end of 2026, injecting the first 57 megawatts directly into the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).
- Phase One Completion (228 MW in Q1 2027): Output is projected to scale up to approximately 228 MW during the first quarter of 2027 as all four gas turbines come online. This milestone marks the formal conclusion of Phase One and triggers the nationwide electricity tariff reduction.
- Full 300 MW Combined-Cycle by Late 2027: The final component—generating roughly 72 MW via heat-recovery steam generators and steam turbines—is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2027.
Impact on Consumer Tariffs
The promised 50 percent reduction will halve existing Guyana Power and Light (GPL) tariffs across all customer classes:
- Residential Tariffs: Currently averaging approximately G$43.43 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), dropping to roughly G$21.72/kWh.
- Commercial Tariffs: Currently averaging around G$56.38 per kWh, dropping to approximately G$28.19/kWh.
“Whatever you’re paying now, you will pay half of that,” Prime Minister Mark Phillips affirmed. “We said a 50 percent reduction at the end of Phase One, and Phase One ends when we get 228 megawatts of power on the grid.”
Contractor Commitments and Technical Setup
The Wales facility incorporates an offshore-to-onshore pipeline transporting natural gas from the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek Block, connecting to a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant and a 300 MW power plant.
Following earlier construction and supply chain delays, U.S.-based contractor Lindsayca has reaffirmed its revised operational targets. The realization of the 50 percent rate cut remains contingent upon the contractor meeting these phased commissioning targets and successfully delivering power to the grid.
