…as deadlines slip again
(Kaieteur News) – Five years after the Guyana Government embarked on the construction of the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project, Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips said it now 68 per cent complete.
As head of the energy sector, the PM on day one of the consideration of estimates and expenditures for the 2026 budget faced questions on the $10.7 billion allocated to the project this year.
He informed the committee of supply that the project is now 68 per cent complete with materials already transported to the site for completion of the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and 300-megawatt (MW) power plant by the end of 2026.
The project has already missed several deadlines, but government is now hopeful that the initiative could finally deliver cheaper and more reliable electricity by the end of this year.
The prime minister said, “I would say it’s (at) 68% completion and there’s a reason for that. All the major equipment are in country and already moved to the site. The foundation to accommodate those equipment already cured and the equipment is mounted so it’s just some additional work and then you have the connections to be done and the simple cycle will be operational by the end of this year.”
Pointing to the project’s failure to meet a November 2024 deadline, APNU Parliamentarian, Vinceroy Jordan asked the PM to state the reason for this delay.
To this end, Phillips explained that there was a process of site stabilisation which involved the driving of over 3000 piles and the movement of sand, loan and compacting the area before moving to the actual construction phase. “That took a lot of time,” he added.
Meanwhile, in response to a series of questions by MP Dr. Terrence Campbell, the prime minister informed that this year’s budget does not cater to costs associated with the pipeline that has been completed by the operator of the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil.
Campbell was particularly interested in costs to maintain the structure while it awaits connection to the gas projects under construction.
The Prime Minister however said, “There’s no cost associated as I speak for the simple reason the pipeline was constructed, it is filled with nitrogen and when it becomes operational, in other words, when its connected and the gas start coming through then you will have operational and maintenance related cost, but right now there is no cost because it’s just preserved until we are ready to use it.”
Table showing breakdown of $10.7B allocated for GTE project in 2026 Budget
No. Cost Provision for:
1. $4.884B -Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) for integrated NGL plant and 300MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT)
2. $293.1M -EPC for transmission lines and substations for integrated NGL and 300MW CCGT
3. $123.799M -Supply of transformers
4. $1.160B -Project management consultant for the NGL and power plant
5. $61.434M -Project management consultant for transmission lines and substations
6. $643.861M -Supply integration, installation and commissioning SCADA for the Guyana National Control Centre (GNCC)
7. $420.929M -EPC for GNCC Building
8. $31.295M -Consulting and engineering services for integration of GNCC SCADA , EMS, GMS
9. $11M -Consultancy services for the construction of the GNCC Building
10. $85.196M -Studies for industrial development projects (gas bottling, fertilizer, NGL and S&O)
Original link posted by Kaieteur News on February 11, 2026
