The slow pace of developing and implementing updated regulatory frameworks remains a major obstacle to the Caribbean achieving its national energy goals, according to a statement from the Caribbean Electricity Utilities Corporation (CARILEC). The organisation's findings point to regulation, rather than technology or funding alone, as a key bottleneck for the region's energy transition.
Dr. Cletus Bertin, Executive Director of CARILEC, is among those who have highlighted the issue. The regional utilities body represents electricity providers across the Caribbean and works to share experience on modernising the sector. The concerns raised in the release reflect a wider view within the utilities community that policy and legal frameworks must keep pace with the development of renewable and new energy sources if national targets are to be met.
For Dominica, which has built its energy strategy around geothermal power and the wider development of renewable resources, the message carries particular weight. Clear and up-to-date rules on licensing, grid connection and the participation of private producers are generally seen as essential to attracting investment and bringing new capacity online. Where those rules lag behind, projects can be delayed and planned gains in energy security and cost may take longer to realise.
The CARILEC findings also underline the importance of regional coordination. Many Caribbean states face similar challenges, including small markets, high dependence on imported fuel and the need to protect consumers while encouraging investment. Sharing approaches to regulation, the release suggests, could help governments move more quickly toward the targets they have set for themselves.
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