CARILEC Urges Resilience After Devastating Hurricane Season

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ended  on November 30, demonstrated the growing challenges of climate-related disasters in the Caribbean. 

Over six months, the region experienced 18 named storms, including 11 hurricanes, five of which reached major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher).

 Among the most devastating was Hurricane Beryl, the first Category 5 hurricane of the season, which struck Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, causing widespread destruction and disrupting lives and infrastructure.

According to a  Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) release, the energy sector faced significant challenges during the season, with aging infrastructure and supply chain issues hampering recovery efforts. 

Hurricane Beryl alone left over 158,000 customers across the region without power, affecting homes, businesses, and critical services. The prolonged outages showed the need for more robust disaster preparedness and recovery strategies.

CARILE says through its Disaster Assistance Programme (CDAP), the organisation played a key role in restoration efforts. It coordinated the deployment of 100 skilled personnel from less affected member states to support recovery in Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

“CDAP is a testament to the strength of regional cooperation and mutual support among CARILEC member utilities,” said Dr. Cletus Bertin, Executive Director of CARILEC.

 “Our commitment to assisting member utilities, and by extension, the states within which they operate, extends beyond disaster response through CDAP. It encompasses a wide range of capacity building initiatives, such as specialized training programs across a wide range of areas and major conferences, including a Disaster Management Roundtable, which equips utilities,” Bertin stated.

As the Caribbean faces increasingly unstable weather patterns, CARILEC is advocating for investment in resilient energy infrastructure, sustainable solutions, and regional collaboration to build a secure energy future.