– Guyana Advances Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Initiatives
– Final Testing Underway at Onderneeming Site
– Fibre optic cable being installed from Onderneeming to Anna Regina Power Plant
As part of a broader initiative to expand renewable energy infrastructure and reduce reliance on fossil fuels in Region Two, Programme Coordinator for the Project Execution Unit, Amir Dillawar, reported in a recent update that the two solar farms, Onderneeming and Charity, are currently under construction, with the Onderneeming project nearing completion.
In an exclusive interview with The El Dorado Beacon, Dillawar explained that the 5-megawatt (MW) solar farm at Onderneeming, located along Sand Pit Road, is nearing completion.
“The Onderneeming solar farm is pretty close to completion. We are in the process of doing the site acceptance testing; we are putting batteries at both farms.
The batteries are expected to land in Georgetown during the course of this week, and we will install them at Onderneeming,” Dillawar confirmed.
Communication Infrastructure for Remote Monitoring Being Installed
The Programme Coordinator also noted that the final component to be installed is the communication cable.
He also stated that a fibre optic cable is currently being laid from the Onderneeming solar plant to the Anna Regina Power Plant, and a similar connection will also be established from the Charity solar farm to the same facility.
“This will ensure the seamless integration and monitoring of both solar sites,” Dillawar explained.
According to him, the systems in place will allow for two stages of control and operation, adding that, “You can control and operate the farm from the control room at the site itself, or our operators could be at the power plant and remotely control and operate the farm from there.”
Battery Storage to Add Stability and Resilience to Grid
Dillawar disclosed that newly branded generators were recently installed at the power plants serving the Essequibo Coast.
He noted that the two solar farms will contribute an additional 8 megawatts of renewable energy to the Essequibo grid, along with 6 megawatts of battery storage, aimed at enhancing reliability and stability.
The batteries will provide two hours of backup capacity, totalling 12 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy storage.
“What this will do is boost our generation profile. We have more generation in the region to meet the rapidly growing demand, plus the batteries are going to bring added stability to the network,” Dillawar emphasised.
He added that in the event of an issue at the Anna Regina Power Plant, the battery system will be capable of independently powering a section of the connected feeder for the duration of the stored energy.
GUYSOL Programme Targets 33 MW Solar Capacity Across Four Regions
Dillawar further highlighted that this project is part of GUYSOL, the Guyana Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Programme.
The initiative is shared and is a part of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, originating from the earlier iterations of the LCDS, and is funded through Guyana’s earnings under the Guyana-Norway partnership.
The programme is administered by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
In total, GUYSOL aims to install 33 MW of solar PV capacity, with 34 MWh of battery storage across Regions Two, Five, Six, and Ten.
“We have 10 MW in Berbice, we’re putting 15 MW of solar in Linden, and the 8 MW in Essequibo,” Dillawar stated.
He added, “Essequibo is going to have a total of 12 MWh of batteries, and Linden is going to have 22 MWh of batteries.”
December 2025 Completion on Track for Essequibo and Berbice Sites
Noting that the Berbice and Essequibo components of the GUYSOL project are currently underway, with various sites at different stages of completion, Dillawar said confidently, “I am pleased to say that Onderneeming is practically done.
Hampshire in Berbice is almost completed as well. We are finishing them off in stages, and we will definitely finish them before the December timeline.”
The overall project is on track for completion by December 2025, while the Linden installation is scheduled to be completed between December 2026 and January 2027.
Low Carbon Strategy Driving National Energy Transformation
Dillawar concluded by commending the Government of Guyana for recognising the importance of renewable energy initiatives.
“This project is not only adding renewable energy to the Essequibo grid but also enhancing its resilience, with the added benefit of increasing overall power availability in the region,” he said.
With multiple projects nearing completion and firm deadlines in place, Guyana is taking concrete steps to meet its national energy needs through sustainable means, ensuring cleaner, more reliable power for thousands of residents in the years ahead.
