A petrol bomb was thrown into an electricity substation on Guyana’s coast on the night of Tuesday 10 November 2026, and police now say the plot may not have ended there. The Guyana Police Force said on Thursday 12 November that a suspect in custody told investigators his accomplice spoke of another attack in the capital, Georgetown, “in the near future”.
The target was a substation of Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the state-linked electricity company, at Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara. For a country whose offshore oil output draws US companies and investors, a threat to the power grid is a security story as much as a local one.
Key Facts
—What. A petrol bomb was thrown at a GPL electricity substation at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara.
—When. The attack happened on Tuesday 10 November 2026, at about 22:45 local time.
—Who. One suspect is in custody; police are seeking an alleged accomplice and two others.
—Warning. Police say the suspect told them another attack was planned in Georgetown.
—Next step. Police are asking the public for information on 911, 225-6411 or 227-1149.
Guyana’s police are hunting three more people after a suspect said a second attack on the electricity system was being planned.
What Happened
President Irfaan Ali said in a national security address on Thursday that two people were filmed on CCTV at the facility at about 22:45 on 10 November, and that one allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail into its switchyard. He said no damage was reported.
The Guyana Police Force said on Thursday that the suspect in custody told investigators he and an accomplice set the device at a section of the substation. Police said he named two other “criminal elements” who allegedly arranged and coordinated the operation, which brings the number being sought to three.
“Of particular concern, the suspect in custody reportedly disclosed that his accomplice indicated that another attack would be perpetrated in Georgetown in the near future,” the police said. The force said it is treating the information seriously and has not, as of Thursday, issued wanted bulletins for those it is pursuing.
Why It Matters
GPL called the attack deliberate sabotage of its 69 kilovolt switchyard. The company said electricity supply was not interrupted.
President Ali called the attack a serious strike on critical national infrastructure and said it could have disrupted electricity supply and endangered public safety. He said security agencies had earlier received intelligence about possible attacks on infrastructure, and that those involved, including “intellectual authors”, could face charges that may include conspiracy and terrorism-related offences.
The president also said that only days before the attack, two politically affiliated individuals were recorded discussing how to make incendiary devices. He did not name them in the address, and police have not said whether the two cases are linked.
What to Watch Next
Police have not yet published names or wanted bulletins, so the first checkpoint is whether the three people being sought are identified or detained in the coming days. The second is whether the suspect already in custody is brought before a court, where charges would be read out.
Readers can follow wider developments in our rally in Georgetown and on how the oil boom raises the stakes for national infrastructure.
What Is Not Known
Police have not said who the three people being sought are, or why the substation was chosen. The president said investigators are still working to establish whether the attack was coordinated with others and whether other facilities were identified as targets.
No charges against the suspect in custody had been announced when police issued their statement. The statement describes the suspect’s account as reported, so it remains an allegation until tested in court.
What It Means for You
Travellers and business visitors in Georgetown should expect a stronger security presence around utilities and follow guidance from local authorities. Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest police station or call the police numbers above, and all information will be treated in strict confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Molotov cocktail?
It is a bottle filled with flammable liquid and set alight, thrown as a crude firebomb. The president said one was thrown into the switchyard.
Did the attack cause a power outage?
The president said no damage was reported. GPL called it deliberate sabotage of its switchyard and said supply was not interrupted.
Is another attack confirmed?
No. Police said the suspect reportedly told them another attack was planned in Georgetown, and they are treating that information seriously while they search for three people.
Sources: Guyana Police Force statement of 12 November 2026; Office of the President address, via the Department of Public Information (DPI), the government information agency; Guyana Power and Light statement.
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