Why is Haiti struggling to modernise its energy sector?

Haiti’s recent battles to modernise its energy sector serve as a stark lesson for how fraught the business of energy transition can be. In the wake of the scandal, the struggle to provide Haiti’s 11 million people with reliable energy – and the desire to attract foreign investment to do so – has taken on an evermore politically charged hue.

How long does a power outage last in Haiti?

Power outages in some areas of the country can last for weeks, while in neighbourhoods near Haiti’s National Palace in downtown Port-au-Prince – always politically restive – jerry-rigged siphoning of current has gone on for decades as successive governments dare not act against it.

Can private investment help solve Haiti's energy crisis?

“We have had this energy crisis for a long time, more than 20 years,” says Evenson Calixte, managing director of Haiti’s Autorité Nationale de Régulation du Secteur de l’Energie (ANARSE), the nation’s energy regulatory authority. “And we believe that one element that can help reform this sector is private investment.”

How much electricity does Haiti use?

As of 2020, the peak demand was an estimated 500 MW. During 2016, Haiti consumed 406.2 million kWh of electricity. As of 2020, 43% of electricity in Haiti was consumed by the industrial sector, 32% by residential, and the remaining 25% by commercial and public services.

Does Haiti's Mose need energy?

For Haiti’s Moïse, who has made the provision of energy nationwide the cornerstone of his presidency, the promise has taken on added urgency as the nation approaches general elections slated for 2021.

Does Haiti produce coal?

While Haiti does not produce, consume, or import coal, the country uses extensive amounts of charcoal (often referred to as coal) for household activities. Haiti does not produce, export, import, or have proven reserves of crude oil or natural gas, nor does it produce refined petroleum products.