GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Guyana added another major renewable-energy asset to its national grid on Friday as Prime Minister Mark Phillips commissioned a 3-megawatt solar farm at Hampshire, Region Six, calling it a decisive step in the country’s transition toward a more resilient and diversified power system.
The new facility, built under the Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic (GUYSOL) Programme, is designed to feed the Demerara–Berbice Interconnected System and strengthen electricity supply across Berbice. Engineers say the farm is expected to produce about 4,800 megawatt-hours of electricity each year, reducing fuel consumption and cutting carbon emissions by several thousand tons annually.
Phillips praised the project as evidence of the administration’s commitment to using clean-energy investments to drive long-term economic stability. He noted that the solar programme is not only aimed at reducing the cost of electricity, but also at building technical capacity “in every region of the country” as Guyana prepares for a larger shift toward renewable power.
The Hampshire installation includes nearly 5,000 solar modules, multiple inverters and a newly constructed 13.8-kilovolt line that links the farm directly to the Canefield distribution network. It was built to withstand high-wind conditions and represents one of the most advanced configurations installed in the country to date.
Funding for the project forms part of the wider GUYSOL initiative, which is backed by US$83.8 million from the Guyana–Norway partnership. The programme will deliver 33 MW of utility-scale solar generation accompanied by 34 MWh of battery storage across several regions. In Regions Five and Six alone, 10 MW of new solar capacity is being rolled out.
Phillips highlighted that the buildout is also creating opportunities for skills development through initiatives like the “Women in Solar” training programme and a technical apprenticeship track for persons with disabilities. He said these efforts demonstrate that renewable-energy expansion is “not just an infrastructure push, but a people-centered transformation.”
With the Hampshire farm now online, Region Six becomes a key contributor to Guyana’s broader clean-energy strategy at a time when solar buildouts, hydropower plans and the Gas-to-Energy project are converging to reshape the national grid. Government officials say the new array will help stabilize supply in Berbice while advancing the country’s long-term goal of lowering emissions and improving energy reliability.
The commissioning signals continued momentum for Guyana’s renewable-energy agenda as more projects move from planning stages to operation, bringing the country closer to a diversified energy mix that aligns with both economic and environmental priorities.