In 2016, CUC commissioned a 29-year Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), covering the period of 2017-2045. This document, drafted by Pace Global and published in 2017, included multiple rounds of public consultation and helps to provide a general roadmap for the transition of the Grand Cayman electricity sector from an almost exclusively diesel generation system toward a majority renewable energy one. This transition is necessary to achieve CUC's environmental goals in support of national policies and international greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions targets.
The IRP provides both a short term strategy to optimally progress early emissions reduction goals and a longer term strategy based on current and projected conditions that is likely to change over time as new technologies mature and market conditions change. The IRP should be seen as a living document, to be reviewed and revised periodically to ensure alignment to best practices, customer needs and preferences, and the changing landscape of the energy sector.
The IRP defined a set of potential energy portfolios, which were then ranked on a series of metrics including, but not limited to, general consumer cost, system and generation reliability, environmental stewardship, land use, and risk.
The IRP was accepted by the regulator in January 2019 and is available below.