Guyana Gas-to-Energy Plant Targets December First Fire at Wales
GUYANA · ENERGY
Key Facts
- —What happened Guyana is preparing to fire the first turbine at its Wales gas plant in December.
- —How big Phase One is designed for 300 MW, from four gas turbines and two steam turbines.
- —The money The state contract was US$759 million, plus a US$97 million settlement with the contractor.
- —The catch The promised 50 percent cut in power bills only comes once 228 MW is running.
- —Who it affects Households, businesses and investors that depend on Guyana Power and Light supply.
- —What comes next Three more gas turbines are due about three months after the first one.
The 300 MW project is two years late and has cost more than planned. A first turbine test is set for early December, but cheaper power comes later.
The Guyana gas-to-energy plant at Wales is being prepared for a first turbine firing around 4 December 2026. Only about 57 megawatts (MW) is expected by year end, well short of the 300 MW design.
What the Guyana gas-to-energy plant is
The Guyana gas-to-energy plant sits at Wales, on the West Bank of Demerara, in Region Three. It is a combined-cycle station rated at 300 MW under Phase One.
The design uses four gas turbines and two steam turbines, the Department of Public Information said. A natural gas liquids (NGL) plant is being built on the same site.
Gas comes ashore through a 12-inch pipeline built by ExxonMobil from the Stabroek Block offshore. The line is designed to carry up to 120 million cubic feet of gas a day.
About 1,300 people are working on the site. Roughly 425 kilometres of new transmission lines are being built to move the power.
December first fire and the 57 MW target
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar said teams are working towards about 4 December for first fire. That is the moment gas is burned in a turbine for the first time.
The first Siemens turbine is expected to add about 57 MW to the national grid. Weeks of testing follow before power can reach customers reliably.
Indar said the other three gas turbines should follow about three months later, lifting gas-fired output to 228 MW. The two steam turbines are expected a few months after that, reaching 300 MW.
Siemens Energy has been chosen to run and maintain the plant. Its deal covers five years of operation and twenty years of turbine maintenance.
Gas will flow through the offshore pipeline for the first time at that test. The line has stood unused for about 21 months.
The cost, the contractor and the US loans
The state signed a US$759 million contract with the Lindsayca and CH4 joint venture in December 2022. Delivery was first promised for the end of 2024.
A dispute ended in a US$97 million settlement, a 12.8 percent rise on that contract sum. The Office of the Prime Minister put the wider state budget at US$1 billion, capped at US$1.1 billion.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) approved US$527 million for the project in December 2024. The loan was signed in Georgetown in January 2025.
EXIM chairman John Jovanovic said on 21 September 2026 that the bank could lend up to US$550 million. That money would go to a second, privately financed phase at Wales.
ExxonMobil is paying for the offshore pipeline, which sits outside the government’s budget. Guyanese outlets put the whole scheme, state works and pipeline together, at about US$2 billion.
When electricity bills should fall
Prime Minister Mark Phillips said in August 2026 that the promised 50 percent cut arrives at the end of Phase One. He defined that as 228 MW of gas-fired power.
So the December milestone will not lower bills by itself. President Irfaan Ali has said some communities are already receiving phased reductions.
Opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed questioned the December start in mid-September, citing unfinished substation and transmission work. The government says the schedule still holds.
The contractor has asked for more money to finish the job. Ali said in mid-September that no extra payment was under discussion.
Exxon’s Trinidad block is a separate story
ExxonMobil also holds Block TTUD-1, or Trinidad and Tobago Ultra Deep 1, off that country’s east coast. The block covers 7,165 square kilometres and was awarded by Trinidad’s government in August 2025.
Exxon operates the block with 90 percent and Occidental Petroleum holds 10 percent. A large seismic survey ended in August 2026, six weeks early, Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal said.
Exxon exploration head John Ardill said on 21 September 2026 that drilling could start in late 2027 or early 2028. He has said Exxon wants to move faster in Trinidad than it did in Guyana.
That comparison is about Exxon’s own pace, not a race with Guyana’s government. The block lies in Trinidad and Tobago’s waters, and Guyana holds no stake in it.
What the Guyana gas-to-energy plant means for expats and investors
Power costs and reliability shape the price of everything from rent to restaurant meals in Georgetown. A working plant would ease both, but the gain arrives in stages.
Anyone weighing a Guyanese project should plan for grid limits through 2027, not for cheap power at once. Two rented power ships are still filling part of the gap.
What is not known is whether first fire holds to December, and when 228 MW actually arrives. The final bill for Phase One is not settled either.
Guyana will learn a great deal in the next three months, and the turbine test will be the clearest signal yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Guyana gas-to-energy project?
It is a 300 MW gas-fired power station and a natural gas liquids plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara. It burns gas piped ashore from the Stabroek Block.
When will it start producing power?
A first turbine firing is targeted for about 4 December 2026, adding roughly 57 MW. Full 300 MW output is expected later, in stages.
Will electricity bills fall in December?
No. The government says the 50 percent cut follows once Phase One reaches 228 MW.
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Sources: Guyana Department of Public Information site updates, 8 and 22 September 2026; Export-Import Bank of the United States; Office of the Prime Minister of Guyana; Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries; Kaieteur News; Demerara Waves; Trinidad Express; Upstream.
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