Regional energy emergency response strategy launched

The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), in collaboration with the Regional Task Force for Climate- Resilient Energy Supplies through the CARICOM Secretariat, has launched a consultancy project for the Development of an Emergency Response Strategy and Action Plan (ERSAP) for the region’s energy sector. The Baastel Consultancy Group, comprising a team of international and regional experts possessing extensive experience and expertise in emergency response and disaster management in the Caribbean, will support the Task Force on/with the design, development, and finalisation of the ERSAP. Acording to a release from CARILEC, the project will be supervised by the Task Force and is funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The Baastel Consultancy Group will report to CARILEC, which will manage project deliverables.

The ERSAP’s main aim is to strengthen the capacity for emergency response in the Caribbean’s energy sector (CARICOM member states), through improved cross-sectoral coordination and regional cooperation. The development of the ERSAP was prompted by the urgent need to address the gaps and challenges faced by national and regional energy sector stakeholders that hamper an efficient and coordinated approach to emergency response. These include ,but are not confined to, limited standardization and formalization of intra-sectoral and inter-sectoral communication mechanisms and response procedures among key energy stakeholders and critical sector institutions (i.e., water, health, agriculture, infrastructure, social welfare, buildings), and the urgent need to include optimal recovery measures (building back better) for energy transition and improved sector resilience in national response mechanisms and procedures.

It is envisaged that the ERSAP will strengthen the energy sector in CARICOM Member States, by providing a framework for implementing measures to increase resiliency with regard to all aspects of the generation and distribution of electricity and fuel supply for transportation, mobility, and industry. The Strategy and Action Plan will also provide an outline for the improvement of coordination and communication mechanisms in the CARILEC Disaster Assistance Programme (CDAP). While the project will primarily focus on emergency response to hydro-meteorological hazards (such as hurricanes, coastal storm surges, floods, and droughts), its potential for the transferability of strategies and actionable steps to the case of other natural disasters (such as earthquakes, fires, etc.) is also highly recognised.

CARILEC said it is pleased to collaborate with the CARICOM Secretariat and GIZ in the development and implementation of the ERSAP. This initiative is directly aligned with CARILEC’s main strategic objective, which is to be the leading partner and hub for energy solutions in the region. As the regional electric energy Association, CARILEC is confident that the Caribbean Community, including Governments and CARILEC’s member utilities, will greatly benefit from a more seamless and efficiently coordinated emergency response in the energy sector.

ERSAP, which has an expected completion date of June 2022, is being coordinated by three managers at the CARILEC Secretariat, namely: Karen Piper – ERSAP Project Coordinator and CARILEC’s Assistant Manager of Communications and Disaster Management, Karen Piper; who is supported by CARILEC’s Energy Solutions Advisor, Thomas Mitschke; and CARILEC’s Marketing and Member Services Manager, Alana Raymond.