GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – The State-owned Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is up for an overhaul of its management as part of its major expansion plans, according to vice president Bharrat Jagdeo, arguing that the current top brass is not up to the task.

“I don’t think the current management can lead that process, that they can address all of the issues,” he told a weekly news conference at his People’s Progressive Party (PPP) headquarters.

“I’m tired of excuses that were being given for power outages,” said Jagdeo, who also conceded that “there was more load on the power grid.”

With the “massive” plans to have a stable and smart grid by 2030 through the 300 megawatt natural gas-fired power plant and probably a second 300 megawatt power plant, he emphasised the need to improve the power company’s management.

We also have to get value for money from the management, and so I see the management being strengthened enormously as another important task. It would be stupid of us to go to put in all of this investment and not strengthen the management and the capability of GPL to manage the process,” Jagdeo added.

He said the Dominican Republic-based InterEnergy Group has been picked through sole sourcing to supervise the massive expansion of Guyana’s power grid to transmit and distribute the electricity when the first power plant comes on stream by mid-2026.

Power China and Kalpataru of India have been contracted to build the more than US$400 million transmission lines, substations and related facilities.

“You can’t go keep the same management for a company that would be look different, the very different,” Jagdeo said.

The vice president made the statement following another power outage on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, most areas in the capital were without power, however GPL technicians have since isolated the problem and have restored power.

It’s reported that a feeder had earlier tripped and power company workers later located the problem.

The outage reportedly stemmed from severe lightning that accompanied heavy rainfall late Thursday morning and early afternoon.