In response to criticism, BELCO President fires back at ‘political rhetoric’, sets out the challenges of managing a small island grid … and underscores his support for an LNG alternative to burning oil, to stop the soot
Wayne Caines, BELCO President: “The tools for faster progress exist. The regulatory framework is in place. The question is whether Bermuda’s leaders will use them or continue pointing fingers while our customers bear the cost of delay.”
Statement by Wayne Caines, President of BELCO:
As the President of BELCO, Bermuda’s energy provider for over a century, I feel compelled to address the opinion pieces circulating about our island’s energy challenges. Leading a team of 265 dedicated professionals who keep Bermuda’s lights on 24/7, I’ve witnessed firsthand the complex realities of managing an isolated island grid while navigating the transition to sustainable energy.
The narrative being promoted is that BELCO is destroying Bermuda’s environment. That does not represent the facts. Let me set the record straight with data, not rhetoric.
Since commissioning our North Power Station in 2020, we’ve delivered $50 million in documented fuel cost savings to Bermuda ratepayers—$10 million annually compared to our previous aging facility. These are not projections or estimates; these are documented savings that directly reduced customer bills while improving system reliability. We replaced an aging, inefficient plant that burned expensive fuel oil with modern technology that operates at significantly lower fuel consumption rates.
Solar installations are happening all over the island, which is encouraging progress. But solar only benefits those who can afford the upfront investment. Meanwhile, most Bermudians still rely on BELCO’s grid every day for consistent, reliable power when the sun isn’t shining. Without a systematic, island-wide approach to alternative energy that includes all residents, electricity costs will keep rising for those left behind.
Our environmental progress is equally measurable. Our Nolan Smith Battery Energy Storage System, the first of its kind in the Caribbean and winner of the Best Energy Storage Project award at the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum, reduces our CO2 emissions by 4,500 tonnes annually while providing grid stability that prevents the load shedding events that plagued our system for decades.
Since the construction of the North Power Station, we have systematically dismantled obsolete infrastructure—removing eight of our 16 engines, four of our eight gas turbines, and demolishing five smokestacks. This is active deconstruction of our carbon footprint that has happened since the commissioning of the North Power Station.
Critics calling for faster renewable deployment ignore the engineering realities of island-scale power generation. Bermuda operates an isolated grid requiring constant baseload power generation with spinning reserve capacity. Unlike mainland grids that can import power when renewables fluctuate, we must maintain generation capability 24/7 regardless of wind or solar conditions.
On the soot issue that concerns many residents: a few more solar panels won’t solve it. The soot on roofs and homes comes directly from the fuel currently being used for electricity generation. We have a solution to stop dropping soot—liquefied natural gas (LNG). That’s the real solution to cleaner air. There is already a path to LNG through the established Integrated Resource Plan. If this is what Bermuda wants, lobby for it. Tell the Regulatory Authority. Tell your Minister. If Bermudians want it sooner than the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) timeline, they need to push for it through the proper regulatory channels—stop blaming BELCO for a process we don’t control.
Contrary to suggestions that frameworks are needed, the Integrated Resource Plan provides exactly that mechanism. Approved by the Regulatory Authority in 2019, the IRP calls for 85% renewable electricity generation by 2035, prioritising offshore wind and solar technologies. The current IRP consultation process is underway and will incorporate the latest technologies to advance the plans to progress renewable energy generation in Bermuda.
This isn’t delaying tactics—it’s the legal mechanism that evaluates all energy proposals against cost, reliability, and environmental criteria simultaneously.
Independent water quality surveys conducted under Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) oversight since 2020 show zero exceedances of primary drinking water standards, meeting World Health Organization benchmarks. We operate at emission levels more stringent than current Bermuda legislation requires. Every air quality complaint is documented and reported to both DENR and the Environmental Authority within required timeframes.
For thirty years, BELCO has maintained comprehensive mitigation programmes including roof painting, vehicle cleaning, and property maintenance for neighbouring properties. This long-standing commitment demonstrates that electricity production using internal combustion engines has always required some level of mitigation—this isn’t a new issue,
nor is it solely a Bermuda issue, it faces all power plants using internal combustion engines and we’ve been addressing this issue responsibly for decades.
The future of Bermuda’s energy will not rely on one single source. Solar and offshore wind technology all have potential for our island. BELCO must adapt to integrate these technologies, and we have always adapted to meet the island’s changing needs over our 100-year history. Our role is to ensure reliability while integrating these new technologies in a way that works for everyone, not just those who can afford private solutions.
Our grid modernisation project has almost reached completion with Advanced Metering Infrastructure providing customers recorded granular consumption data. We’ve upgraded transmission cables specifically to accommodate renewable intermittency as new sources come online. Our vehicle fleet demonstrates practical environmental leadership: 83% of our light vehicles are already electric, with the remainder being replaced as they reach end-of-life.
If Bermudians want cleaner air and a sustainable energy future, the solution is clear: push for LNG now through the regulatory process that already exists. Support innovation in solar, wind, and wave technologies. Work with BELCO, not against it, to make these changes happen faster.
For over 100 years, BELCO has adapted our generation mix, upgraded infrastructure, and maintained grid stability through hurricanes and global supply disruptions. We’ve demonstrated environmental leadership through measurable emissions reductions, infrastructure modernisation, and operational efficiency improvements that directly benefit customers.
The choice facing Bermuda is clear: continue the systematic, technically sound approach that has delivered documented results, or succumb to political rhetoric that ignores engineering realities and regulatory frameworks. We choose results over rhetoric, science over soundbites, and measured progress over politically motivated promises that leave most Bermudians behind.
The tools for faster progress exist. The regulatory framework is in place. The question is whether Bermuda’s leaders will use them or continue pointing fingers while our customers bear the cost of delay.
