By Saskia Warrick | November 15, 2024
General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, has responded to Opposition MP David Patterson’s criticism regarding the rental cost of power ships, which Patterson suggested could have been used to address the issues facing the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
Jagdeo provided a detailed breakdown of the financial strategy involved in securing temporary power for the country.
Jagdeo explained that Guyana’s increased energy demands necessitate bridging power solutions while long-term projects are in development.
He highlighted that the costs associated with the power ships are not limited to just the rental fee, but also include capacity, operation, maintenance, and fuel costs.
When factoring these elements, the cost per kilowatt-hour from the power ships is approximately 20.5 U.S. cents.
In comparison, using GPL’s older infrastructure amounts to about 18 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour.
The Vice President emphasized that the power ships serve as a temporary solution to support the grid until larger, more sustainable projects, like the gas-to-energy initiative, come online.
He also reassured the public that fuel subsidies are in place to stabilize consumer power rates, despite global increases in fuel prices.
Dr. Jagdeo reiterated that the government’s approach is designed to ensure a stable power supply while major long-term energy projects are being implemented to resolve Guyana’s electricity challenges permanently.