CARILEC Reflects on Challenges and the Resilience of the Caribbean Energy Sector as the 2024 Hurricane Season Ends

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season officially concluded on November 30, marking the end of what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted to be an above-normal season. Over the past six months, the region experienced a total of eighteen (18) named storms, including eleven (11) hurricanes and seven (7) tropical storms. Alarmingly, five (5) of these hurricanes reached major hurricane status, classified as Category 3 or higher.

Among the notable storms this season, three major weather systems; Hurricane Beryl, Tropical Storm Nadine, and Tropical Storm Sara, left significant marks on several Caribbean islands. Hurricane Beryl, in particular, was unprecedented as the first Category 5 hurricane to develop so early in the Atlantic hurricane season. The storm caused devastation across Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, disrupting lives, infrastructure, and essential services.

For the energy sector in the Caribbean, the aftermath of hurricanes underscores the vulnerabilities inherent to island systems. With aging infrastructure, topographical vulnerabilities, the need for the introduction or revision of relevant policies and frameworks, and supply chain issues, regional utilities face immense challenges in mitigating and recovering from storm-related damages.