The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) convened senior energy-sector leaders, policymakers, regulators and development partners for its 2026 Policy and Regulatory Roundtable, held on October 18th at the British Colonial Hotel in Nassau, The Bahamas.
The Roundtable was held as part of the 2026 CARILEC Resilient/Renewable Energy Community (CAREC) Conference & Exhibition, the biennial Roundtable continued regional discussions on the policy, legislative, and regulatory frameworks needed to support a just and sustainable Caribbean energy transition.
Under the theme “From Policy Alignment to Regional Action: Enabling a Resilient, Affordable and Financially Viable Caribbean Energy Transition,” discussions addressed critical sector challenges, including energy affordability, renewable energy integration, investment, reliability and financial sustainability, while emphasizing the importance of balancing the interests of consumers, utilities, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and other stakeholders.
Dr. Cletus Bertin, Executive Director of CARILEC, underscored the importance of a robust and relevant regulatory framework, “The Caribbean energy sector faces several challenges, compounded by external pressures such as rising fuel costs. The lag in the development and implementation of regulatory frameworks remain a major challenge to achieving national energy goals. Addressing this challenge requires collaboration and a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of governments, regulators, utilities and other stakeholders. Through this Roundtable and other interventions, CARILEC brings together stakeholders together to share best practices, strengthen collaboration and support regulatory reforms that reflect each country’s priorities and benefit the wider energy sector.”
Building on the discussions and recommendations emerging from the Roundtable, CARILEC will share the findings with stakeholders across the regional energy sector and work closely with developmental partners, regulators, governments, electric utilities and other partners to support the development and implementation of appropriate legislative and regulatory frameworks.
Through continued engagement and collaboration, CARILEC aims to help create an enabling environment for energy-sector transformation that is environmentally sound, technically and financially viable, and moreover, equitable, sustainable, and beneficial to the people of the Caribbean.
