HA-T1130 : Towards a Sustainable Energy Sector Haiti - White Paper

Before the earthquake of January 2010, the energy sector in Haiti had a number of weaknesses and existed in a state of crisis which directly affected the economic activity and living standards of the Haitian population. These weaknesses include: (i) dependence on fossil fuels for primary electricity generation; (ii) limited availability and access to electricity; (iii) significant technical and commercial energy losses; and (iv) dependence on fuel wood and charcoal, mainly used for cooking, which causes deforestation. The earthquake has exacerbated this situation and created an urgent need for a long term energy strategy that integrates short term reconstruction measures with long term goals. In 2007 the Ministry of Public Works Transport and Telecommunications (MTPTC), with the technical assistance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), produced the Haiti National Energy Sector Development Plan (NESDP). The NESDP included a comprehensive diagnosis of Haiti¿s energy sector in 2007, identified the key issues that needed to be addressed and proposed actions for the development of the energy sector from 2007 to 2017. This study will be taken as a starting point for the development of an energy strategy, however, it must be reassessed, reformulated and expanded, in order to take into account the impacts of the earthquake on Haiti¿s energy sector. Such impacts include key issues like migration to the urban areas, the shift of demand centers due to migration patterns, the reconstruction of housing infrastructure, and the opportunities offered by new technologies that can be employed in the energy sector. Consequently, the objective of this KCP is to help the Government of Haiti (GoH) identify and develop a comprehensive strategy for the energy sector. This strategy will consider not only the immediate and short term measures that need to be taken to rebuild the energy sector after the earthquake, but also the medium and long term actions and reforms that could lead Haiti¿s energy sector towards a more efficient and sustainable system, that is commercially viable, has a more diverse energy matrix and a greater service coverage.