AS Jamaica prepares for negotiations on a new electricity licence, internationally acclaimed energy strategist Dr Ramón Méndez Galain said the country has a unique opportunity to transform its energy sector, reduce electricity costs, and boost economic competitiveness — but only if it can pursue bold policy reforms, build political consensus and accelerate its transition to renewable energy.

Speaking at the sixth staging of the annual Maurice Facey Lecture hosted by the Pan Jamaica Group and the CB Facey Foundation, Galain drew on Uruguay’s experience in transforming its energy sector from one that was very dependent on imported fossil fuels to one that now generates more than 95 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources.

The lecture, held under the theme ‘Breaking the Grid: Charting Jamaica’s Path to Renewable Energy”, comes at a pivotal time for Jamaica as policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders debate the future structure of the country’s electricity sector ahead of the expiry of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) licence next year.