Power outages in town in Guyana blamed on demand surge and El Niño conditions

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Power outages affecting the town of Linden, Guyana's second-largest city, have been attributed to an unprecedented surge in electricity demand, compounded by higher-than-normal temperatures associated with El Niño.

The Linden Electricity Company Inc. (LECI) says its maximum available generation capacity currently stands at 14.5 megawatts (MW), while peak demand has climbed above 15 MW in recent weeks, resulting in a critical generation shortfall.

LECI said the extreme heat has led to increased use of air-conditioning units and other cooling equipment, placing additional pressure on the electricity grid.

The company noted that even before the weather-related spike, electricity demand had been steadily increasing due to economic development, including the expansion of housing schemes and the establishment of new businesses.

A 15 MW solar photovoltaic farm is being developed as part of efforts by the Guyana government to increase Linden’s electricity supply, with the first phase scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2026.

However, LECI said the sudden increase in demand has occurred ahead of the planned deployment, creating a temporary gap between available generation and consumption.

In the interim, the company has introduced scheduled load-shedding, or rolling blackouts, during periods of peak demand to prevent a total grid collapse and protect the integrity of the electricity system.

LECI said the outages are being rotated across the community to ensure that no single area experiences prolonged disruptions.

The government has also secured the general agreement of sawmill operators in Linden to operate between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 a.m. (local time), when electricity demand is lower.

LECI said it is also in discussions with its generation supplier to secure additional generation capacity to help bridge the shortfall until the solar facility comes online.

The company is meanwhile appealing to residents and businesses to conserve electricity by setting air-conditioning units at higher, more energy-efficient temperatures, switching off lights and appliances when not in use, and limiting the use of high-energy appliances during peak periods.

LECI apologised for the inconvenience caused by the outages and said it is working with the government and its generation supplier to stabilise the grid as quickly as possible.

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