As Barbados pushes forward with its ambitious shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, a top industry figure has sounded a clear note of caution: consumers should prepare for temporary increases in electricity bills as the transformation unfolds. Stephen Worme, a council member of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry and former chief executive of national utility Barbados Light & Power, outlined the dual infrastructure challenges that are driving these potential cost impacts in an interview.
Worme explained that the transition requires two layers of investment that cannot be avoided. On one hand, the country must purchase and install new specialized equipment to integrate growing volumes of wind and solar power into its electricity network. On the other, existing conventional fossil fuel-powered generation capacity cannot be phased out prematurely, and must be kept operational to guarantee consistent grid stability and reliability throughout the transition period. This dual system maintenance and expansion means additional operational and capital costs that will ultimately be passed to end users, Worme confirmed.
“There’s no way around this temporary cost bump,” Worme said. “We need to bring in new infrastructure for renewables, but we also have to keep our older legacy plants running to make sure the transition doesn’t hit disruptions. At this point, it’s too early to put an exact figure on how much rates will rise, but consumers will feel some impact. The good news is that the Barbados government is already working proactively to mitigate these increases as much as possible.”
Worme emphasized that framing the transition’s cost purely around near-term rate increases is a short-sighted approach. The alternative — letting grid stability slip during the shift — would carry far heavier economic costs for both local businesses and households, he argued. If power supply becomes unreliable, companies across all sectors will be forced to spend thousands on private backup generators and emergency power systems to keep operations running. For consumers, that unreliability would translate to delayed goods, interrupted services and even indirect price hikes as businesses pass on their backup infrastructure costs to customers.
The Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been actively engaged in closed-door discussions with the Barbados government to shape a balanced transition framework that prioritizes two core goals: keeping electricity as affordable as possible for households and businesses while safeguarding the long-term reliability of the national grid. “We aren’t just focused on pushing down immediate costs,” Worme explained. “We’re committed to getting the balance right between affordability and keeping the lights on through every stage of this process.”
Beyond grid stability, Worme stressed that long-term energy security must be centered in any conversation about the transition, especially against the backdrop of ongoing global conflicts that have thrown international energy markets and fuel supply chains into chaos. By building out domestic renewable energy capacity, Barbados can cut its reliance on imported fossil fuels, insulate its economy from global price volatility and lock in greater long-term energy independence. This strategic benefit alone, Worme argued, justifies the temporary near-term costs.
For Worme, the tradeoff of small near-term price increases for major long-term gains is a worthwhile one. “If we accept paying just a little more now to get this transition right, we’ll end up with lower overall costs, more stable supply and greater energy certainty down the line,” he said. “That’s a net gain for every single Barbadian.”