Hydropower still on the cards for Guyana

Maat · (#1 (**permalink**))

Published on Thursday, June 5, 2008

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has said that efforts by the Guyana government to pursue alternative sources of energy as a means of looking beyond the demand for fossil fuel are still on the cards.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, GPL's Chairman Winston Brassington and CEO Bharrat Dindyal speaking to members of the Economic Services Committee

The prime minister made these remarks while addressing members of the Economic Services Committee on Wednesday, who had requested his presence to respond to questions of electricity supply and the operations of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) among other related issues.

The Committee, which included Anthony Vieira, (Chairman), Gail Teixeira, Winston Murray, Irfan Ally, Khemraj Ramjatan, among others, submitted a list of questions relating to the government’s future plans for the fossil fuel generation of energy, the projected cost of electricity production to the national grid, the current level of technical and commercial power loss, the Un-Served Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP) and the regulatory framework for electricity.

The prime minister, accompanied by GPL’s chairman Winston Brassington and chief executive officer (CEO) Bharrat Dindyal also responded to questions about the projected needs for renewable energy initiatives and the challenges Guyana is likely to face for investing in hydroelectricity, wind power and solar energy.

The Prime Minister said hydroelectricity has been in the making since the 1970s when an initial survey with the United Nations (UN) was conducted.

He made reference to the Amelia Falls, which is one of six sites identified as a potential location in Guyana and which is well-known for its cascading waterways.

The Prime Minister said that it is hoped that by year-end ‘the ground will be broken’ for the development of the Amaila site, which is capable of providing about 140 megawatts of electricity for Guyana.

“This is an issue of switching from electricity from the current price to electricity at nearly the same price but being protected against further increases in the price of oil,” the prime minister said.

About 70 to 80 percent of Guyana’s electricity needs are to be supplied from this source by the year 2012, the prime minister projected.

Considerable progress had been made in the development of the project but the investor, according to the prime minister, found difficulties with the investment cost and the price of oil at that time.

The project was expected to be facilitated by a US$200 million hydrostation, which includes a dam and the power house, and US$150 million for the transmission lines.

Given the topography of Guyana, the prime minister said the cost for pursuing hydropower projects will be high.

“The unit cost for hydropower stations itself is higher in Guyana than other stations that were being developed elsewhere in the world and the distance is also an issue,” the prime minister said.

The government is also hopeful that the Turtruba Hydro Project in the Mazaruni, Region Seven will be realised. This site has been identified through a feasibility study in 2002 as one with immense potential to supply power to the Caribbean region.

The Turtruba Hydropower project has the potential of producing more than 11,000 megawatts of power with minimal environmental degradation.

The hydropower technology will allow isolated power sources to be transmitted to Brazil and parts of the Caribbean. Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica could be beneficiaries of the power supply. Caribbean Net News: Hydropower still on the cards for Guyana

Maat · (#2 (**permalink**))

Here's some more info on the history and the most current situation I can find at the moment. This quoted piece is initially the kind of information I was looking for. It seems that the researching period for this project has been so long before full implementation...I mean 34 years to date, 4 years left to estimated 2010 operation and then to reach 80% supply by 2012! That's just for Guyana. I wonder how long it will take to supply the other islands.

"Present Situation
With the rising price of oil, AFHEP became a necessity for Guyana to have since the country was spending approximately 25% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to purchase fuel and most of this was going to fossil fuelled electrical generation equipment. In mid-2005, serious talks were restarted between Synergy, GPL (which had reverted back to government ownership) and the government of Guyana in an attempt to finally put this project on a fast track development schedule. By this time additional generation was required by GPL to meet increased demand for power and the number of self-generators in the country was increasing.

As the development phase of the project had moved away form its technical emphasis and the focus was more on the financial engineering and commercial aspects of the deal, Synergy joint ventured with MaxPower International and Cj Independent to put together the financial package that will work for the Project. MaxPower and Cj Independent has successfully developed and financed a number of power projects in many countries of the world and they were familiar with the requirements of the world financial markets to make this project bankable.

Following a series of meetings with Government, an MOU was signed between the developers and Government on 23rd May 2006 outlining their agreement to proceed with the development of AFHEP. The schedule that was agreed upon has the start of construction of AFHEP in August 2007 with commercial operation on the last quarter 2010. In the interim, Synergy and its partners agreed to supply a thermal power plant of 25 MW (to be operational in March 2007) as a way to meet GPL’s demand for power until the hydro-power plant can be built. The hydro project will assimilate the thermal plant upon its commissioning and the 25 MW thermal power plant will most likely operate in a back-up capacity after 2010."

Synergy Holdings Inc. - The Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project

Vubundada_Kandaba · (#3 (**permalink**))

Quote:

The Turtruba Hydropower project has the potential of producing more than 11,000 megawatts of power with minimal environmental degradation. The hydropower technology will allow isolated power sources to be transmitted to Brazil and parts of the Caribbean. Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica could be beneficiaries of the power supply. Caribbean Net News: Hydropower still on the cards for Guyana

I am glad and happy that Guyana a small Country in terms of population with 750,000 people will be able to produce about 11,000 Megawatts of Electricity and this alone will make Guyana an influential Country in the Region because with this power Guyana can be able to attrac heavy Industy to come in such as Aluminum production, metal processings and other essential industries which will provde Employment for the masses. At the end of the day Guyana can be able to export 95% of this Electricity. This is Good news. California, with the Eight Largest Economy in the World of $1.7 Trillion dollars and a population of 38 Million produces about 35,000 Megawatts of Electricity. Do the math and you can see why I say Guyana is Blessed, very blessed indeed if this project goes ahead. Brazil an Industrialized Nation has a similar dam that produces about 11,000 megawatts, more than enough to power the Economy of Brazil of 165 million People.

What I find as Perplexing and Mind Bloggling is the Notion that Guyana can be able to supply Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti and the Domincan Republic with Electric Power. This endeavor is not impossible but very costly in itself, and probably the Countries involved may not be able to afford it. Running Power Lines underneath the Ocean Floor all the way to Jamaica which is almost 800 miles away is an endeavor that had not been attempted before. Long-distance transmission of electricity overland is almost and always more expensive and the problem is compounded to 10 times as much when you have to transmit the power Under Sea. Underground power cables are insulated with Transformer Oil or Fluid which is then insulated in Specialize Composite Materials and ran in a rigid steel pipe, or a semi-rigid aluminium or lead jacket or sheath. The Transformer oil is kept under pressure to prevent formation of voids that would allow partial discharges within the cable insulation and a very expensive endeavor. There is a reason why we have Power Lines up in the air with poles, because the cost is cheaper and the wires are uninsulated because the lines get hot and the natural Air acts as a coolant, cooling the lines in the process. When you run power lines underneath the Sea or Ocean, you have to insulate the lines in oil to keep them cool, or else the whole thing will melt. This exercise by itself is what makes the cost go to astronomical fugures. Hence the reasons Power is transmitted on land via High Voltage cable lines. Under Sea when there is a faulty line, you have to send a Robotic Arm 5000 feet all the way to the bottom of the Ocean Floor to lift the line up which costs 30 million just for the ship to hover and over the line and by the time the line is fixed, you are looking to be charged a bill of millions if not billions of dollars which no Country can afford or willing to pay.

Maat · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vubundada_Kandaba

I am glad and happy that Guyana a small Country in terms of population with 750,000 people will be able to produce about 11,000 Megawatts of Electricity and this alone will make Guyana an influential Country in the Region because with this power Guyana can be able to attrac heavy Industy to come in such as Aluminum production, metal processings and other essential industries which will provde Employment for the masses. At the end of the day Guyana can be able to export 95% of this Electricity. This is Good news. California, with the Eight Largest Economy in the World of $1.7 Trillion dollars and a population of 38 Million produces about 35,000 Megawatts of Electricity. Do the math and you can see why I say Guyana is Blessed, very blessed indeed if this project goes ahead. Brazil an Industrialized Nation has a similar dam that produces about 11,000 megawatts, more than enough to power the Economy of Brazil of 165 million People.

What I find as Perplexing and Mind Bloggling is the Notion that Guyana can be able to supply Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti and the Domincan Republic with Electric Power. This endeavor is not impossible but very costly in itself, and probably the Countries involved may not be able to afford it. Running Power Lines underneath the Ocean Floor all the way to Jamaica which is almost 800 miles away is an endeavor that had not been attempted before. Long-distance transmission of electricity overland is almost and always more expensive and the problem is compounded to 10 times as much when you have to transmit the power Under Sea. Underground power cables are insulated with Transformer Oil or Fluid which is then insulated in Specialize Composite Materials and ran in a rigid steel pipe, or a semi-rigid aluminium or lead jacket or sheath. The Transformer oil is kept under pressure to prevent formation of voids that would allow partial discharges within the cable insulation and a very expensive endeavor. There is a reason why we have Power Lines up in the air with poles, because the cost is cheaper and the wires are uninsulated because the lines get hot and the natural Air acts as a coolant, cooling the lines in the process. When you run power lines underneath the Sea or Ocean, you have to insulate the lines in oil to keep them cool, or else the whole thing will melt. This exercise by itself is what makes the cost go to astronomical fugures. Hence the reasons Power is transmitted on land via High Voltage cable lines. Under Sea when there is a faulty line, you have to send a Robotic Arm 5000 feet all the way to the bottom of the Ocean Floor to lift the line up which costs 30 million just for the ship to hover and over the line and by the time the line is fixed, you are looking to be charged a bill of millions if not billions of dollars which no Country can afford or willing to pay.

Thanks alot for this insight Vubundada. Knowing more about some of the actual implications makes me question more then how the other islands will benefit, especially if as you say they may not be able to afford it. It doesn't sound affordable by what you explain and seems very unrealistic a target to even attempt meeting.

Tell me though, for Guyana alone - to start with - should it really take such a long time for the hydropower plans to actually be followed through? I sense another carrot to give the impression that this is of importance when if it truly was Guyana woulf be using hydropower from long time right?!