Bermuda’s electricity policy is being updated for the first time in over a decade, with the Ministry of Home Affairs inviting public feedback on the draft National Electricity Sector Policy
The Ministry of Home Affairs has launched a public consultation on the proposed National Electricity Sector Policy 2026 (NESP 2026), the first update to Bermuda’s electricity policy since 2015.
Residents, businesses, and stakeholders are invited to review the draft and submit feedback at forum.gov.bm. The consultation closes at 5.00pm on Monday, 4 May 2026.
The Ministry says the policy refresh reflects significant changes in the global energy landscape over the past 11 years, including falling costs for solar and battery storage and growing regulatory expectations on small island grids. It also acknowledges that several targets set in the 2015 policy — including renewable energy build-out and emissions trajectories — were not fully achieved.
Rather than adopting every emerging technology seen internationally, the NESP 2026 is described as “right-sizing” the energy transition for Bermuda — selecting technologies and pathways suited to a 64,000-person island with no interconnection to neighbouring grids and limited land availability.
According to the Ministry, each investment and technology decision will be evaluated against three principles: affordability for Bermudian households and businesses; reliability of the island’s isolated grid; and broadening — not narrowing — access to the benefits of a cleaner energy system.
The policy is described as anchored in a just transition framework built around four pillars: workforce development and reskilling; social and economic inclusion; community empowerment and participation; and environmental and climate justice.
Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Alexa Lightbourne, JP, MP, said: “This is the first time Bermuda’s electricity policy has been comprehensively updated in over a decade, and we owe the public a clear-eyed look at what has worked, what has not, and what is realistic from here.”
“NESP 2026 is not about chasing every new technology that appears on the global stage. It is about right-sizing the transition for Bermuda and choosing what fits our grid, our population, and our pocketbooks. Affordability, reliability, and accessibility come first. Lowering emissions and modernising the system follow from getting those fundamentals right. This consultation is an invitation to every Bermudian to help us strike that balance,” Minister Lightbourne added.
The Ministry thanked the Energy Policy Steering Committee for its support in finalising the document.
Media release supplied by the Government of Bermuda, Department of Communications.
