Moco-Moco hydro power station to be rehabilitated – Gov’t seeking proposals

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure is currently seeking proposals from appropriate firms to rehabilitate and operate the Moco-Moco Hydropower plant in Region 9.

This is being done in line with the government’s plan to develop a ‘Green Economy’.

The Moco-Moco Hydro power plant will be operated under the Build, Own, Operate, Transfer (BOOT) arrangement. This aims to supply power to Lethem Power Plant under a negotiated and agreed Power Purchase Agreement.

According to a GINA report, this move forms part of the administration’s overall effort to reduce dependence on fossil fuels for energy, and in so doing, the country can save significant sums being expended on the purchase and importation of such fuels.

In 1995, the previous administration, with assistance from the Government of China, sought to develop the hydropower project. However in 2003, the plant was significantly affected by a landslide. Since then the project was abandoned.

The coalition government intends to have hydropower generation facilities located all around Guyana. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is currently in the process of assessing five of 69 possible sites, which are proposed to house these hydro power amenities. The five sites under scrutiny are Tiger Hill, Kamira, Tumatumari, Amaila and Kumu. It is expected that their assessment will be completed in May of this year.

To promote additional financial aid for the hydro power and renewable plan, the government is partnering with the Brazilian government. Also, to carry through with this plan of a Green Economy, GINA said the government will be using $80M from the Norway fund. This money was allocated to renewable energy development. Interested investors are also welcomed in this department.

“…we will look to use the $80M in the most acceptable means of renewable energy… but it could be any form of the large scale renewable energy – which is the understanding that we have,” Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson recently said.

Because Guyana is a tropical country, there is a high potential to invest in renewable energy. This energy while untapped, will soon be harvested to its maximum and provide Guyana with a growing industry.