The Hon. Alexa N. H. Lightbourne, JP, MP, Minister of Home Affairs, issued an update on the National Electricity Sector Policy 2026 (NESP) consultation, and the steps taken to broaden public participation in the policy's development.
On Thursday April 16, 2026, the Ministry opened the National Electricity Sector Policy 2026 (NESP) for public consultation, pursuant to the Electricity Act 2016, conveying the Government's policy intent to update Bermuda’s electricity framework for the first time in over a decade, and to anchor the transition in affordability, reliability, and equity.
Submissions were invited through the Government’s public engagement portal at forum.gov.bm/en/projects/nesp-2026, with an original closing date of 5.00pm, tomorrow May 4, 2026.
Alongside the consultation, the Ministry signaled that engagement would extend beyond the formal submission window, recognising that durable energy policy requires sustained input from households, industry, civil society, and technical experts.
Energy technology is evolving rapidly, and the National Electricity Sector Policy is intended to be a living instrument, updated consistently as viable options are presented and as the evidence base develops. Submissions received outside the formal window will be logged for consideration in policy refinement and in the regulatory instruments that follow.
The Ministry acknowledges the feedback received to date and the requests for additional time. As such, the Ministry has extended the NESP 2026 consultation by two weeks closing on May 21, 2026.
The Ministry will accept all submissions received during the extended period, and will remain open to policy proposals and technical contributions following the formal close. The Ministry will continue to update the policy as viable options are presented and will provide any additional updates in 6 months, as material evidence supports. It is important for the public to note that decisions on the regulatory framework, and on the specific technologies advanced for Bermuda's electricity sector, remain with the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda (RA) as the statutory steward of the sector.
Minister Lightbourne said, “Energy technology is evolving rapidly, and Bermuda's electricity policy must evolve with it. The Ministry will continue to refine this policy as viable options come forward, while the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda remains the statutory steward of the regulatory framework and the technologies advanced for the sector.”