Minister Indar leads critical meeting to fast-track electricity infrastructure upgrades

Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Min. Deodat Indar, yesterday, chaired a project management meeting with Guyana Power & Light Inc. (GPL), Inter Energy Holding, the project management and owner’s engineering consultancy overseeing the design and construction of new substations and transmission infrastructure under the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS), and Contactors responsible for the execution of major electricity infrastructure works.

During the engagement, the Minister addressed matters raised by GPL, the project management consultant, and the contractors; PowerChina International Group Limited and Kalpataru Projects International Limited.

Minister Indar reaffirmed the Government of Guyana’s commitment to efficient and effective coordination with all stakeholders involved in the programme. He emphasized that this collaborative approach is essential to supporting GPL, strengthening grid resilience, and ensuring a reliable and stable electricity supply for communities served by GPL.

Under the current electricity expansion programme, new 69/13.8 kV distribution substations are being constructed at Chateau Margot, Enmore, Williamsburg, and No. 53 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Additionally, 230/69 kV transmission substations are under construction at Trafalgar and Williamsburg, along with associated distribution substation expansion works, the construction of a 69 kV switching substation at Columbia, and the installation of fixed capacitor banks within the DBIS.

PowerChina International Group Limited is responsible for the construction of approximately 37 kilometres of 230 kV double-circuit transmission lines between Goedverwagting and the eastern bank of the Mahaica River, as well as approximately 84.7 kilometres of 69 kV transmission lines interconnecting the new distribution substations within the existing DBIS across Regions 4 and 6.

Meanwhile, Kalpataru Projects International Limited is constructing approximately 89.7 kilometres of 230 kV double-circuit backbone transmission lines between the eastern bank of the Mahaica River and the eastern bank of the Berbice River. This scope also includes associated 69 kV interconnections linking the Trafalgar, Onverwagt, and Columbia substations within Region 5.

The project scope for both contractors further includes the construction of new distribution lines equipped with smart distribution technologies, aimed at improving efficiency, monitoring, and reliability across the network.

Inter Energy Holding is also supervising critical components of the programme, including distribution substation upgrades, the installation of fixed capacitor banks within the DBIS, the installation of a new 69 kV double-circuit crossing of the Demerara River using Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), and the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) at the Sophia and Goedverwagting substations.

These projects form a key pillar of the Government’s broader strategy to modernise the DBIS and support national development through a stronger, more resilient power grid.