The Guyana government has reopened the bidding process for the long-delayed Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), inviting proposals under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model as it moves to advance its clean energy transition.
The Office of the Prime Minister said on Saturday it is seeking qualified developers to deliver the 165-megawatt facility, which will include a dam, powerhouse, substation and a 23-square-kilometer storage reservoir. The design, it said, would be consistent with environmental studies and permits.
Under the new Request for Proposals (RFP), developers must assume all geotechnical risks and demonstrate both financial strength and proven capability in executing large-scale hydropower projects. Only firms or consortia that have successfully completed at least three hydro projects of 100 MW or more within the past decade will be considered.
While the hydropower facility will be developed separately from its transmission network, the government said the project’s size may be adjusted to leverage newer turbine technologies, potentially allowing greater power generation.
A key point of contact for the AFHP is the task force managing the Gas-to-Energy project. The first and second phases of the Gas-to-Energy project and AFHP would be the largest power generation projects in Guyana’s history. With AFHP sought at a capacity of at least 165 MW, the first and second phases of Gas-to-Energy are each targeted at 300 MW. The first phase of Gas-to-Energy is currently under construction and is the only of the three projects for which construction has already started.
Amaila was initially planned by the administration for start-up in 2027. But talks with its last contractor fell apart in 2022. The government has set a deadline of February 15, 2026, for submission of detailed proposals, including financing plans.
