
Antigua and Barbuda’s Energy Minister, Melford Nicholas, joined his regional counterparts in St Kitts yesterday for a crucial Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS) Council of Ministers meeting for plans to reshape the region’s energy sector over the next decade.
The focus of the two-day meeting, convened at the St Kitts Marriott Resort, is on the OECS Sustainable Energy Roadmap 2025-2035 and the crippling electricity costs facing member states, where rates range from EC$0.41 to EC$1.08 per kilowatt-hour.
Director General of the OECS Dr Didacus Jules spoke of the urgent need for energy transformation in the region. “Our fossil fuels will be the addiction that impairs our climate and stunts our growth,” he stated during the opening ceremony.
“The high cost of imported fossil fuels continues to drain our economies, with electricity tariffs among the highest globally, affecting our competitiveness across all sectors.”
The roadmap proposes strategic targets, including achieving 30 percent renewable energy penetration across the OECS by 2030, with each member state required to reach, at minimum, 20 percent. This goal increases to 50 percent by 2035.
Dr Jules highlighted the potential economic opportunities: “By transitioning to sustainable energy, we can redirect millions of dollars currently spent on fuel imports into productive investments that create jobs, build industries and drive economic growth.”
The meeting will explore several key initiatives, including regional power integration through submarine cables and geothermal energy development.
“Our transition to clean energy can create thousands of new jobs, attract international investments and position us as leaders in sustainable tourism,” Dr Jules said.
He also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, calling for member states to “leverage our collective strength to negotiate better terms collectively for trunk technology transfer and climate finance”.
The meeting will conclude today with ministers expected to endorse the roadmap’s development, setting the stage for what OECS officials describe as “a decade of action on sustainable energy”.