Dominica's sole electricity company drew more than 80 percent of its generation from renewable sources between July and September, according to General Manager Dwayne Cenac, who said the utility averaged that share across the quarter.
Cenac gave the figure during a recent radio programme, where he discussed the company's generation mix and the performance of its renewable inputs over the period. The disclosure places the island's power supply well above the regional average for clean generation, a position Roseau has long sought to consolidate as it develops its geothermal resources.
The July-September window covers the heart of the Atlantic hurricane season, a period when rainfall typically swells the island's rivers and feeds the hydroelectric plants that have historically carried the bulk of Dominica's baseload. Hydro remains the backbone of the company's renewable output, supplemented by geothermal capacity and a smaller contribution from solar installations.
Dominica has pursued geothermal energy as a cornerstone of its long-term energy strategy, with the aim of reducing dependence on imported diesel and stabilising electricity costs for households and businesses. The government has also promoted the sector as a potential export earner, with the prospect of supplying neighbouring islands through submarine cables in the Eastern Caribbean.
For consumers, a high renewable share matters because it shields the grid from the price swings of imported fuel, which have historically driven tariff adjustments. The company has faced criticism in the past over the cost of electricity relative to incomes, and successive administrations have pointed to geothermal development as the route to relief.
The figure also carries weight for the island's wider economic planning. Agriculture, tourism and the fisheries sector all depend on reliable and affordable power, and a generation mix dominated by domestic renewable sources reduces exposure to global fuel markets. Hotels and other tourism operators have increasingly marketed the Nature Isle on its environmental credentials, and a cleaner grid reinforces that pitch.
Cenac's comments come as the company continues work on its network and generation assets, including efforts to strengthen resilience against storms and landslides. The utility has repeatedly had to restore service after severe weather, and hardening the system remains a priority for the Office of Disaster Management and the company alike.
The General Manager did not provide a detailed breakdown of each source's contribution during the radio appearance, nor did he indicate how the quarter compared with the same period in previous years. The company has not published a full quarterly generation report.
Dominica's renewable ambitions rest heavily on its volcanic geology, which gives the island access to high-temperature geothermal reservoirs. Exploration and drilling have advanced in recent years with support from international partners, and officials have framed the resource as central to the country's energy transition.
For now, the quarterly average offers a snapshot of how far the island has come in displacing diesel from its electricity supply, and how much of the remaining gap still depends on the weather, the rivers and the wells beneath the island.
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