The 12th annual Organization of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR) conference got underway here on Wednesday under the theme: “Regulating Utilities in a changing environment.”
Speaking at the start of the three-day event at the Fort Young Hotel, head of government’s Geothermal Project, Alexis George, said the conference is expected to bring greater prospective for the state of energy regulation and development in the Caribbean region.
He delivered the featured address on behalf of minister for public works, energy and ports, Rayburn Blackmoore.
According to George, Dominica’s Independent Regulatory Commission (IRC) is mandated to ensure that the growth and use of renewable energy is provided for electricity generation and distribution rates on the island and the organization has led to the improvement of efficient energy production in Dominica. .
“The work of the IRC has led to drastic improvement in the efficient production, distribution and delivery of electric power, from losses in excess of 18 percent in 2008 to 8 percent in 2014,” he stated.
He noted that the IRC was also able, during the past two to three years, “to bring the utility to the consultative table on the subject of license and to eventually craft and issue license to DOMLEC, one for electric generation and the other for transmission distribution of electricity in Dominica.”
He also said moves are being made towards installing LED lights across Dominica.
“Over the next three years we shall be installing 2,500 LED street lights throughout the country,” George said. “This is being done with the support and corporation of the Government of the People’s Republic of China …installation of these street lights has already begun.”
OOCUR is a non-profit organization that was established in July 2002.
Some of the objectives of OOCUR are to assist in the improvement of utility regulation, to foster transparent and stable utility, to undertake research, training and to facilitate understanding of regulation issues as well as the sharing of information and experiences.
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