Guyana to study building two hydropower projects

---Guyana's Ministry of Public Infrastructure has announced it will conduct a study to determine the feasibility of building hydropower projects.

This study will focus on sites at Phillipai and Pariuma in the Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven. The potential generating capacity of these sites has not been disclosed.

The government's Department of Public Information quoted Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford in making this announcement. He said the region is anticipating the implementation of the project, which will not only generate low-cost energy but will be a major economic boost to the two villages and surrounding areas.

Other “spin-off benefits” are attributed to the development, such as agro-processing. The Upper Mazaruni villages have swathes of fertile land, Bradford said. However, these areas experience major flooding every year, and once the project is fully onstream, the regional administration will be assisting the villages to can the crops grown, thereby creating markets.

Other projects in Region Seven include a 1-MW hydro project upstream of Bartica that is in the technical assessment phase, which is anticipated to cost US$5.2 million, and a 1.5-MW solar park due to begin construction this year.

According to the Guyana Energy Agency website, hydropower sites are under consideration across the country. The site offers a summary of 67 potential hydropower sites in Guyana.

(Source: HRW)