Mahipaul Demands Answers on Powership Crisis as Parliament Reconvenes

The Opposition is moving to put the government’s electricity crisis under the parliamentary spotlight today, with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul seeking urgent answers about the future of Guyana’s controversial powership arrangements amid reports that the principal contract expired more than two weeks ago and negotiations for continued service remain uncertain.

In a letter dated June 4 to Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir, Mahipaul requested permission under Standing Order 18 to pose an Oral Question Without Notice to Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar regarding the status of the government’s arrangements with the powership operators upon which Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) remains heavily dependent.

The request comes as the National Assembly sits for the first time since February 14, when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration used its parliamentary majority to pass the 2026 National Budget. The prolonged suspension of parliamentary sittings attracted increasing criticism from civil society, the parliamentary opposition, and members of the diplomatic community, including representatives of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union (ABCEU), who publicly expressed concern over the absence of parliamentary oversight and democratic engagement.

Against that backdrop, Mahipaul’s proposed question targets one of the country’s most pressing challenges: the reliability of the national electricity supply.

In his letter to the Speaker, Mahipaul argued that the matter is one of “urgent public importance” given reports that the principal Powership Time Charter Plus Agreement expired on May 21, 2026, and that negotiations for a new arrangement remain unresolved.

“Recent public reports indicate that the principal Powership Time Charter Plus Agreement expired on 21 May 2026 and that the Government subsequently sought an extension while negotiations were being undertaken for a new arrangement,” Mahipaul wrote. “Reports further suggest that only a limited extension was granted and that uncertainty remains regarding the continued operation of the powerships upon which GPL presently depends to meet national electricity demand.”

The opposition parliamentarian noted that GPL continues to face “significant generation deficiencies” and remains “substantially reliant on the powerships to avoid widespread load shedding and blackouts.”

He further reminded the Speaker that the powership arrangements were intended to serve as a temporary measure pending the completion of the government’s flagship Gas-to-Energy Project, which remains unfinished and is not yet supplying power to the national grid.

“The expiration of the powership contract on 21 May 2026 and the uncertainty surrounding its continuation raise immediate concerns regarding national energy security, economic activity, and the welfare of citizens,” Mahipaul stated.

The questions come against the backdrop of repeated government assurances that chronic electricity shortages would be resolved. In October 2020, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who has responsibility for the energy sector, pledged that the PPP/C government would end the scourge of blackouts through a combination of private power purchases, new generation capacity and the gas-to-shore project. More than five years later, blackouts remain a regular feature of daily life, while the Gas-to-Energy Project has yet to begin supplying power to the national grid.

The government’s reliance on Turkish powerships has become even more pronounced as delays continue to affect the Gas-to-Energy Project, which was touted as the transformative solution that would deliver cheaper and more reliable electricity to consumers and businesses.

If granted permission by the Speaker, Mahipaul intends to ask Minister Indar whether the government has begun negotiations to renew or extend the powership contracts and whether the operators have demanded payments beyond the existing contractual terms.

He is also seeking disclosure on whether the government has assessed the impact on the national grid should either or both vessels cease operations before the Gas-to-Energy Project becomes operational.

Additionally, the opposition MP wants the minister to explain “what measures are being taken to ensure that Guyanese consumers and businesses are not subjected to renewed blackouts and load shedding arising from any interruption in the powership arrangements.”

The questions strike at the heart of the government’s energy strategy. Since 2024, the PPP/C administration has relied on two Turkish powerships to supplement GPL’s aging generation fleet while awaiting the completion of the Gas-to-Energy Project.

With reports suggesting uncertainty surrounding the continuation of the powership arrangements and no electricity yet flowing from the Gas-to-Energy Project, concerns have intensified over the country’s energy security and the potential consequences should either vessel cease supplying power to the national grid.

Today’s sitting of the National Assembly is expected to test whether the government is prepared to provide answers on an issue affecting households, businesses and the wider economy following more than three months without parliamentary scrutiny.