Stronger cybersecurity needed as Guyana pursues digital energy infrastructure – PM

Prime Minister (PM) Mark Phillips has emphasised that as Guyana pursues digital energy transformations, inclusive of a smart grid by 2030, stronger cybersecurity systems are needed.

He made the remarks over the weekend at the opening of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) Engineering and Procurement Conference and Exhibition 2026, where he outlined the country’s energy transformation programmes, built on diversification.

“Natural gas, hydropower, utility-scale solar, battery energy storage, distributed renewable energy, and emerging clean technology,” the PM expressed, noting that a number of projects under these categories are already being pursued by the Government.

Moreover, he noted that by 2030, the country’s electricity system will be fundamentally different, as Guyana is moving from a traditional grid to one that is digital, data-driven, customer-focused, and smart.

The Guyana National Control Centre (GNCC) is expected to become fully operational by August 2026, targeting real-time grid management, faster fault detection, and integration with the Gas-to-Energy project. Being constructed to the tune of US$18.65 million, the facility will house the state-of-the-art Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which will monitor, control, and optimise electricity distribution across the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS). This will significantly strengthen real-time management and improve overall system reliability.

This transformation, the PM underscored, will require smart substations, automated networks, advanced metering infrastructure, real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence-assisted operations, and digital customer engagement.

Moreover, he emphasised that it will require “stronger cybersecurity”.

Back in May, President Dr Irfaan Ali informed a news conference that his Government is developing a round-the-clock cyber emergency response system as part of a wider national cybersecurity and digital resilience strategy to protect the country’s rapidly expanding digital and economic infrastructure.

President Ali emphasised that cybersecurity has become a core pillar of Guyana’s national security architecture as the country accelerates digitisation across Government services, finance, border management and the energy sector.

Last month, Guyana joined the Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4), a step that will benefit the country in enhanced cybersecurity training, access to advanced digital forensic resources, stronger policy development support, and regional collaboration. Through its membership, Guyana will gain access to LAC4’s state-of-the-art hybrid training facility, digital forensic laboratory and cyber range, which provide practical exercise and simulations designed to strengthen national cybersecurity preparedness. The partnership will also support capacity building at the technical, policy, and strategic levels to equip Guyanese professionals and institutions with the skills and expertise needed to address evolving cyber threats. Guyana will also benefit from research collaboration, cyber analysis, doctrine development, lessons-learned activities, and access to a broader range of European Union cybersecurity training resources and programmes.

Last year, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Cyber Security and Cybercrime Action Plan (CCSCAP) 2025, a critical strategic blueprint designed to safeguard the Caribbean region’s accelerating digital transformation, was launched. It addresses critical gaps identified since the original 2016 framework, including fragmented training, inconsistent legislation and insufficient collaboration between Government agencies and educational institutions. To counter the dynamic threat landscape, which includes sophisticated ransomware attacks and identity fraud targeting state apparatus, the CCSCAP 2025 strengthens the original five pillars and introduces a crucial new sixth pillar – Incident Response – which seeks to ensure that effective, coordinated response mechanisms are in place to protect critical infrastructure, maintain public confidence, and safeguard the continuity of essential services during a crisis.