Saint Lucia gets set to host regional forum on electric utility regulatory reform

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 – St. Lucia will play host to a major two-day regional forum and workshop on Regulatory Reform in the Electricity Sector of the Caribbean, from April 22 – 23, 2010, at the Sandals Grande Beach Resort & Spa. The forum and workshop are co-hosted by the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC), the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) and the Organisation of American States (OAS).

The main objectives of this forum are to bring key industry stakeholders together to work towards mutual and clearer understanding of the regulatory process and available regulatory models for the small systems that exist in the region, build awareness of the impact that the regulatory reform process will have on people in the Caribbean, and to share regional and international regulatory reform experiences. Delegates will have the opportunity to discuss and propose tangible solutions to the regulatory reform process taking place in the region.

The forum is taking place against the backdrop of important changes taking place in the regulatory framework of the Caribbean electricity sector featured by the introduction or pending introduction of regulatory entities, competition, energy policy reform, and an increasingly important role for renewable technologies.

CARILEC Executive Director Nigel Hosein says assuring a secure and reliable supply of electricity is an important condition for economic development in the Caribbean and the electric utilities are fully aware of the vital role that the power sector plays in that development.” Issues such as energy security, sustainability and fuel diversification to reduce the dependence on oil are critical to the Caribbean at this time. To address these challenges, changes in the regulatory frameworks and the introduction of policy initiatives are required to assure a financially healthy sector in which investments can be undertaken to facilitate the growth in demand and sustain economic development in the Caribbean,” he adds.

Participants in the regional forum and workshop will include Ministers and senior technocrats in government ministries responsible for energy, utilities, planning and development, sustainable development, tourism, commerce, industry, consumer affairs, and finance; regional utility CEO’s and Senior Managers; regulators and regulatory bodies; other key industry stakeholders across the region such as Chambers of Commerce, Senior Business Executives, the OECS Secretariat, CARICOM, Caribbean Hotel Association, IDB, OAS, ECCB, Regional Consumers’ Associations and other non-governmental organisations.

As part of the process of ventilating the issues surrounding such regulatory reform, LUCELEC will host a town hall style meeting for the public immediately following the forum and workshop. The town hall meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 23, 2010 at the Gaiety on Rodney Bay from 6:30 p.m. The facilitators for the town hall meeting will be drawn from the presenters at the regional forum.

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