EU/St Kitts – The federation of St Kitts and Nevis has received a boost from the European Union as the government forges ahead with its goal of advancing towards energy self-sufficiency from local renewable energy sources.
The European Union has disbursed EC $11.23 million (EUR €3.444 million) to St Kitts and Nevis to promote the integration of renewable energy and energy-efficient technology in public facilities. The assistance will also continue to support the implementation of the National Energy Policy.
In addition, the programme also supports the government to build resilience within the energy and water sectors, to ensure that the population has access to the basic needs of water and electricity when the country is severely impacted by natural disasters such as hurricanes. Some specific outcomes will include the installation of energy-efficient streetlights, the installation of underground electrical power supply to three pumping stations and the establishment of an Energy Unit.
The contribution from the European Union is aligned with the country’s efforts and plans to promote sustainable economic development and faster economic growth through a linked series of policy initiatives and specific investments in the energy sector. This ensures that the government continues on its path towards reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.
The EU strongly believes that supporting the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors will increase the energy security of St Kitts and Nevis since the price of fossil fuels is very volatile and can expose the economy to exogenous shocks, which adversely affects the competitiveness and economic resilience of St Kitts and Nevis. The EU through this budget support programme will help the government in terms of energy security and building resilience into the energy sector.
The overall programme budget of the EU’s current renewable energy intervention in St Kitts and Nevis is approximately EC$16.2 million (€5.0 million). The programme is expected to run until the end of 2021, with EC$16.04 million (€4.92 million) earmarked for Energy sector development as budget support. St Kitts and Nevis also benefit from other on-going regional energy programmes funded by the European Union.
