GPL condemns firebomb attack of Good Hope Substation

See below full statement from GPL:

Georgetown, Guyana – Wednesday, 11 November 2026

GPL condemns firebomb sabotage of Good Hope Substation by two individuals; asks Police to treat it as an act of terror against critical national infrastructure.

Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) condemns in the strongest terms the deliberate sabotage of its Good Hope Distribution Substation, East Coast Demerara, on the night of Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

At approximately 22:46 hrs, CCTV captured two individuals at the substation, one of whom threw a Molotov cocktail, an improvised firebomb into the 69kV energized substation switchyard. The matter was immediately reported to the Guyana Police Force.

This was not only vandalism BUT a malicious attack that could have caused catastrophic damage. A firebomb in a live high-voltage yard can ignite transformer oil, cables and switchgear, causing fires and explosions that endanger staff and nearby residents and destroy the substation.

Had this attack succeeded, it would have resulted in a total shutdown of the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) affecting in excess of 220,000 customers and the Good Hope Substation would have suffered extensive physical damage to its equipment, taking not less than 12 months to reconstruct and billions of dollars in expenditures.

Destroyed high-voltage equipment can take months and significant cost to replace, with major losses in revenue, emergency restoration and grid security.

Fortunately, there were no line or feeder trips and supply was not interrupted. GPL engineers inspected the site overnight and confirmed no major equipment was damaged. Further investigations are ongoing.

Under the Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Act 2015, a “terrorist act” includes an act that causes or is likely to cause loss of life, serious bodily harm or damage to property, or that disrupts public safety or public utilities and other essential infrastructure, intended to intimidate the public or a section of the public.

A firebomb thrown into a live substation falls squarely within that description. GPL has formally asked the Guyana Police Force to investigate under that Act, together with the arson, malicious damage and conspiracy provisions of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.

Those who carried out this act, and anyone who planned, funded, aided or abetted it, must be arrested and prosecuted.

GPL has handed its CCTV footage to investigators and increased security and patrols at all substations and power plant across the grid.

Persons who damage, attempt to damage, or assist others in damaging GPL facilities will face prosecution under the laws of Guyana and GPL will pursue every legal avenue, including civil recovery of all losses.

GPL thanks its staff, security personnel and the Guyana Police Force for their swift response.