Brazilian investor express interest in Amaila project – Jagdeo

Interest in the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project has been expressed by Brazilian investors, according to Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

“Brazil was very interested in the hydro… since we terminated China Railway (Group’s contract)…we’ve now gotten at least two proposals from Brazil to do the hydro… so soon you may see us going back into another process (of bidding),” he said during a recent news conference.

In the past, Jagdeo made clear that the PPP/C government has not shifted from its position that the engagement on the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project must follow a BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) Model, not an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) model.

The Government was in negotiations with China Railway Group Limited for the completion of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Plant based on a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to develop the AFHP, either on the basis of a 20-year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) concession or on a Design-Build-Finance (DBF) basis were invited in 2021. However, the China Railway Group Limited indicated that the BOOT model was not feasible, so negotiations ended, with the company advocating for a different financing model –an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) model.

In May 2022, Jagdeo had said, “The last six months we have been struggling to reach an agreement. We will have to give a deadline and cancel if they can’t proceed with the original model… The tender was about Build, Own, Operate, Transfer, not a EPC Plus finance model… so we may have a setback on that.”

Prior to that in November 2021, Jagdeo had said, “Amaila still remains the best option for meeting baseload renewable energy for Guyana. That is the only way you can decarbonise, so the only way to achieve renewable energy is through the construction of the hydropower.”

A total of four companies had submitted proposals. China Railway Group Limited was identified as the most ‘capable partner’ by the Evaluation Committee after a rigorous evaluation process, following which the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) submitted the relevant recommendation to Cabinet for ‘no-ob- jection.’ Under the BOOT model the company will supply electricity to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. at a cost averaging US$0.07737 per KWH over the 20 year BOOT period.

Important Project

The revival of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project was one of the promises made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in its manifesto. The project was initiated under the previous PPP/C Administration but was scrapped by the coalition Administration which had controlled the National Assembly by a one-seat Opposition majority.

The Amaila Falls Hydropower Project was the flagship of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). Amaila was expected to deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy that would have been affordable and reliable, and was envisioned to meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs while removing dependency on fossil fuels.

Additionally, the best option to move Guyana to renewable sources of energy was adjudged in 2016 to be the Amaila Falls hydropower project, according to a study commissioned by the Gov - ernment of Norway.

It was the David Granger led administration that agreed to this objective and facts-based assessment of AFHP. The report, compiled by Norconsult, on behalf of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), identified AFHP as critical for Guyana’s energy transition.

“The only realistic path for Guyana towards an emission free electricity sector is by developing its hydropower potential. The fastest way forward is to maintain AFHP as the first major step for substituting its current oil-fired generation,” Norconsult stated in its report, Review of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project in Guyana.

This guidance, though unequivocal, was not heeded by the previous administration. Up to now, most of Guyana’s electricity generation is from the severely polluting heavy fuel oil (HFO).

AFHP, projected to deliver 165 MW of new power to the grid by 2027, will supply a significant share of power needed for Guyana’s economic expansion in the decade up to 2030, building on emissions reduction gains from the 250 MW gas-to-energy project, expected by 2024.

GECOM did NOT Disenfranchise...

due to the fact that only persons who were registered in a Local Authority Area (LAA) were required to vote in these elections. Hence, it must be highlighted for emphasis, that the ‘Register of Ranks’ to vote on Disciplined Services Balloting Day is prepared based on the list submitted to GECOM by the respective Forces.

Further, once it was determined who were the officers eligible to vote at LGE, the location where the officers are stationed was requested by GECOM. This information then allowed for GECOM in consultation with the respective Disciplined Force to establish Balloting Stations across the country and for GECOM to logistically prepare to ensure that the officers vote where they are stationed, using a ballot that is applicable to the LAA where they are registered.

Moreover, it must be clarified that GECOM ensured that names of the ranks were placed on a list where they were stationed and it was displayed at all the Balloting Stations countrywide prior to Disciplined Forces Balloting Day. Additionally, the Ballot Officers visited all districts and conducted civic and voter education sessions with the officers of the respective Forces to ensure that they were well informed about checking

← FROM PAGE 5 the lists and the voting process. These mechanisms were further supplemented with the presence of GECOM Information Clerks at all the Balloting Stations to provide guidance to the officers.

It must also be noted that officers who did not vote on Disciplined Forces Balloting Day still have an opportunity to do so on Local Government Elections Day, Monday, 12th June, 2023 when the rest of the country will vote. However, they will have to vote in the Local Authority Area / Constituency where they are registered.

Against this backdrop, for anyone to accuse GECOM of willfully disenfranchising members of the Disciplined Forces is malicious and intended to discredit a transparent and efficient process that was evidently successful. The Guyana Elections Commission takes this opportunity to remind all stakeholders, especially voters that its procedures are guided by the legal provisions and reassures them that they can expect an election that is free, fair, transparent, and credible.

Sincerely, Yolanda Ward Public Relations Officer Guyana Elections Commission

Guyana elected to UN...

Guyana secured 191 votes out of a possible 192 votes; this was the highest number of votes received.

Starting January 1, 2024, Guyana will represent the

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Latin America and Caribbean bloc on the Council.

The UN Security Council comprises 15 members, including five permanent members namely: China, France,

Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The remaining 10 members are non-permanent members that are elected for two-year terms.