The Government of Guyana has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Amaila Falls Hydro Project under the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model. It published the RFP today, noting that the primary goal of this endeavor is to usher a new era of sustainable energy by delivering a minimum of 165 MW of clean energy by 2027.
This call for proposals builds upon a previous RFP issued in 2021, which considered the integration of both the Hydro and Transmission Lines components under either the BOOT or DB-F (Design-Build-Finance) options.
The scope of work encompasses the development of a hydro dam with a minimum capacity of 165 MW and the creation of a 23-square-kilometer storage reservoir, adhering to environmental reports and studies and relevant permitting. Moreover, it includes the establishment of double-circuit 230 KV transmission lines from Amaila to Linden and Linden to Georgetown, each equipped with sub-stations.
Furthermore, the upgrade and completion of roads and bridges to the project site, in alignment with existing and planned work, are part of the scope. Lastly, the assumption of all geo-technical risks, coupled with guarantees related to the structure of the reservoir, dam, and transmission towers, falls under the purview of interested developers.
It is noteworthy that independent supervision of the design and construction will be implemented by a reputable international third-party firm, following an agreed-upon Terms of Reference (TOR) between the parties. This will be tendered for by the Government of Guyana, with the costs forming part of the Project Costs, to be borne by the Developer. Under the hydro component, provision will be made for an international third-party operator responsible for operating the facility on behalf of the project company, with the operator’s costs included in the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs. The transmission component, on the other hand, will see GPL (Guyana Power and Light) operating and controlling the transmission line and sub-stations once they are commissioned.
The execution of the hydro and transmission project will be carried out through a new “Special Purpose Company (SPC),” which will be issued all previous permits, licenses, and permissions, as they existed in April 2015. However, the Developer will have the responsibility of ensuring any necessary updates in accordance with legal requirements.
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In a recent press conference the Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had said that multiple investors have shown interest in the project, including a Brazilian company, a company from Austria, and several from Korea, highlighting the widespread appeal of the project.
“We were hoping within maybe a maximum of two weeks to go out for the request for proposals. Up to last week, we had another interest from a Brazilian company. We’ve had a company from Austria. We had several from Korea. I think there are a large number of people approaching us, and the best way to do this is through a public process,” he explained.
Following that he said that instructions have already been conveyed to the technical staff to prepare for the RFP which included updating the data from the previous RFP to reflect new developments, particularly the change in electricity demand.
