The Guyana Government is already seeing the benefits of investing in renewable energy projects such as the two mini-hydropower plants in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), which has reduced the use of fossil fuel by more than 20,000 drums for electricity generation. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahendar Sharma, made this announcement during the latest edition of the Energy Perspectives Podcast, titled “Powering Guyana’s Low-Carbon Future”. “Lethem, for example, now benefits from two hydropower plants, totalling 2.2 megawatts (MW)… and while mini-hydro is still expensive, the savings are significant. You are offsetting and displacing diesel use… More than 20,000 drums of diesel have already been avoided based on what is being produced from the hydropower and because you don’t have to generate that energy from diesel,” Sharma stated. In December 2024, the 0.7 MW Moco Moco Hydropower Plant was commissioned with the capacity to generate approximately 4,565 megawatt-hour (MW/h) electricity annually. Months later in July 2025, the 1.5 MW Kumu Hydropower Station was operationalised to bring approximately 9,700 MW/h of clean energy annually.

These two mini-hydropower facilities were rehabilitated by Sri Lankan firm – Vidullanka PLC, under a US$12.85 million programme funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). In addition to hydropower, the $472 million 1.0 MW Lethem Solar Farm, which was commissioned in August 2022, is also supporting the generation of clean energy across Region Nine. According to the GEA Head, “It is the only site in Guyana that benefits from this hybridised-type of energy supply – hydro, solar and diesel – powering the people of Lethem… The solar is there to provide support. In fact, the two hydros have been supplying most of the energy in Lethem. More than 60 per cent of the energy comes from renewable sources for the town of Lethem.”

Only back in February, Sharma had disclosed that the two mini-hydro plants in Region Nine were already reducing the country’s carbon footprint and saved 17,000 plus drums of diesel at the time.