Georgetown, 22 December  2024 – Guyana continues its rapid transition to renewable energy with the commissioning of a newly rehabilitated and upgraded 0.7-megawatt (MW) Moco Moco Hydropower Plant in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). 

The power plant was officially launched by the country’s Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d), the Honourable Mark Phillipson 13th December 2024.  Also, present at the launching ceremony were the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Hon. Pauline Sukhai; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Sonia Parag; and Chair of the GEA Board of Directors, Mr. Jerome Khan; along with other regional officials and key project stakeholders.

The streamlining of the power plant marks a major achievement in the country’s efforts to harness its abundant natural resources and provide affordable, reliable, and stable energy. 

The project came to fruition through a US$14.63 million financing from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to the Government of Guyana for the construction of this 0.7MW hydropower plant and a communication line at Moco Moco, a 1.5MW Hydropower plant at Kumu and 16.54km transmission line located in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). 

The hydropower plant is expected to boost electricity capacity, improve efficiency, and enhance socio-economic development, benefiting approximately 7,548 people across the region. 

It includes a weir, a diversion system, a forebay, a penstock, a powerhouse, a tailwater canal, a step-up substation, a transmission line, and administration buildings. 

According to Dr. Mahender Sharma, Chief Executive Officer at Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), unlike dams, these types of plants avoid large reservoirs, helping to preserve aquatic ecosystems, minimize habitat loss, and maintain natural river flows. They do not create stagnant water that generates methane, have less impact on water quality and sediment flow, require less land, and do not displace communities and cultural sites.

Dr. Ilker Ersegun Kayhan, Operations Team Leader at IsDB’s Regional Hub Paramaribo,  says that the hydropower plant is a powerful driver of socio-economic development, stimulating growth for households and businesses in the community, townships, and the entire region. 

In addition to generating electricity, the 0.7MW Moco Moco Hydropower Plant provides other advantages including creating jobs and enhancing essential services, including education, telecommunications, agriculture, healthcare, water supply, and transportation.

Meanwhile, for the first time in the energy production history of Guyana, a hydropower plant, a solar farm, and diesel generators are all linked together to supply energy to the country. The combined capacity of the 0.7-megawatt Moco Moco Hydropower Plant, the 1.5-megawatt Kumu Hydropower Plant, and a previously installed 1-megawatt solar PV farm has the potential to supply approximately 89% of the energy needs of Lethem and surrounding communities from renewable energy sources. 

The hydropower plant can now supply up to 700 kilowatts (kW) of renewable energy to the grid operated by the Lethem Power Company Incorporated (LMPCI). This will help to reduce LMPCI’s dependence on fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions.

The initiative aligns with Guyana’s focus on expanding rural electrification through micro-grids, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with batteries, run-of-river, river dam hydro, and hybrid renewable energy systems. 

The country is diversifying its energy mix, underpinned by the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, to increase the share of renewables to include hydropower, solar, wind, and natural gas, to add 500 MW of new capacity to power residential and commercial users. This also supports the nation’s achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, aimed at modernizing energy systems, and enhancing energy and food security, while contributing to climate resilience.