Jagdeo Slams GPL Management Amid Worsening Blackouts, Promises Major Overhaul and Expansion
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
Despite billions of dollars spent by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government on Guyana Power and Light (GPL), prolonged blackouts continue to plague communities across the country. The situation has drawn the ire of PPP/C General Secretary and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who on Thursday signaled that a significant shake-up of the utility’s management is imminent.
“I don’t think the current management can lead that process or address all of the issues,” Jagdeo said, adding that the government’s plans for a stable grid require more decisive leadership.
Should the PPP/C return to office after the September 1 polls, Jagdeo pledged that GPL would be placed back on track for significant expansion. He outlined plans to bring 300 megawatts of gas-to-energy power on stream by 2026, add another 300 megawatts from new sources, and resume tenders for hydropower development. He also pointed to the construction of a massive new transmission grid to Berbice on steel towers as part of long-term energy planning.
In the short term, Jagdeo expressed frustration with GPL’s current management, accusing them of making “tired” excuses for widespread outages, some of which he claimed were even deliberate due to ongoing construction works.
Already, the Dominican Republic–based InterEnergy Group has been sole-sourced to supervise the grid expansion. At the same time, PowerChina and Kalpataru of India are contracted to construct more than US$400 million in transmission lines.
Jagdeo insisted that the scale of Guyana’s new energy projects demands a management overhaul: “You can’t keep the same management for a company that will look very different.”
