Moco Moco Hydropower Station commissioned

Several communities in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are slated to benefit from enhanced electricity supply with the commissioning of the 0.7-megawatt (MW) Moco Moco Hydropower Station on Friday.

In addition to Moco Moco, this hydro plant is expected to power surrounding villages such as St Ignatius, Kumu, and the Township of Lethem – providing clean and reliable energy.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, along with several key Government officials including Local and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, Amerindian Affaairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, and representatives from the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) joined Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock, Lethem Mayor John Macedo, Toshao of Moco-Moco James George, and officials from Lethem Power Company Inc. (LPCI) as well as residents to commission the hydro plant.

In his address, Prime Minister Phillips emphasised the project’s pivotal role in bridging the energy divide, a cornerstone of the Government’s commitment to equitable development under its “One Guyana” vision.

The Prime Minister underscored that the symbolic and practical significance of revitalising this long-dormant facility represents a broader effort by the Government to ensure that all regions, including hinterland communities, benefit from its broader developmental agenda particularly its pursuit of an energy mix which features renewable energy at the fore.

“You’re making history,” the Prime Minister declared, “because for the first time in our country’s history, we have a hydropower plant, solar farm, and diesel generators working together to provide energy, and this is happening for the first time in Region Nine right here.”

He went onto detail how the newly recommissioned hydropower plant, now contributing 0.7 MW of power, integrates with Region Nine’s existing energy infrastructure. The region now boasts a sophisticated energy system combining the hydropower plant with a 1 MW solar farm and 2 MW diesel generators, delivering a total capacity of 3.7 MW. This capacity is set to increase to an impressive 5.2 MW by February 2025 with the addition of the Kumu Hydropower Plant.

“In Lethem, at your maximum capacity right now, you are only using 2 megawatts. You will have almost two and a half times the amount of electricity that you can use right now… this is the development that we’re talking about, bridging the divide, the development divide, and we have successfully bridged the energy divide with this one project.”

The Prime Minister also reaffirmed the Government’s dedication to the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, and reminded of the ambitious goals for renewable energy adoption.

“By 2030, there’ll be greater use of renewable energy in Guyana. Most of the energy, more than 50% of our energy, by 2030 will come from the sun, will come from hydro (from water), will come from wind – as much as possible, less energy from fossil fuel, more from mother nature.”

New solar mini-grids

Further demonstrating this commitment, the Prime Minister announced the Cabinet’s recent approval of four new solar mini-grids for the communities of Yupukari, Nappi, Awaruwaunau in Region Nine and Paramakatoi in Region Eight.

He also spoke to the driving economic growth on the region through energy now available, Prime Minister Phillips urged the residents of Region Nine to capitalise on the opportunities created by the high levels of electricity, while highlighting the potential for cottage industries, particularly in agro-processing, to boost local economies.

“Start cottage industries—monetize what you already have,” he encouraged. “The wastage of mangoes and cashews can be turned into products in demand locally and internationally. This is how we create economic value from our resources.”

The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of modernising agricultural practices to enhance productivity and achieve food security. He said that by utilising the energy and integrating technology, such as irrigation systems, communities can overcome the challenges of climate variability contributing to their ability to become food secure and earn revenues.

He pointed to the Government’s role as a facilitator of development as he emphasised the collaborative approach needed to maximise these opportunities, “We have to put our brains together at the village council level, at the individual level, homes and with your neighbours, form ourselves into groups, pool our resources, utilise this energy and make it work for us to improve our lives and livelihoods.”

Addressing the younger generation, Prime Minister Phillips focused on the critical importance of STEM education: “You are the future of Guyana. I want you to focus your effort, your studies, on STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That’s going to help us to make the great leap into modernity”.

Residents were also assured that electricity rates will remain unchanged, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to affordable energy and linking renewable energy development to community benefits.

Originally commissioned in 1999, the Moco Moco Hydropower Plant was rendered inoperative following a 2003 landslide that damaged its infrastructure. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration undertook to rehabilitate the hydro plant and upgrade it to a capacity of 0.7 MW.

In 2022, Sri Lankan firm – Vidullanka PLC – was awarded an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract valued at around US$12.85 million to develop both the Moco Moco Hydropower Plant and the 1.5MW Kumu Hydropower Plant.

The Moco Moco Hydropower Plant Station, which was co-funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), is expected to generate approximately 4,565 MWh annually.