WHILE the Government has been trumpeting a nuclear industry for Jamaica and has proceeded with signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to get help in developing the sector, Opposition Spokesman on Energy Phillip Paulwell said he has been left out of the loop, up to the time of the interview for this piece in late January.

“Firstly, the prime minister has not shared with the Opposition the MOU that has been signed. And I think my first criticism is that this really ought to be a national plan and it really ought not to have proceeded without the appropriate consultation. Nuclear is a very sensitive issue,” Paulwell told the Jamaica Observer.

He said this exclusion is particularly concerning given the significance of nuclear energy decisions, which will impact generations of Jamaicans, especially given scepticism in Jamaican society about nuclear energy.

The abandoned energy council

Paulwell said such matters are the purview of the energy council, which he established during his tenure as minister, but which has now been abandoned. He said the council brought together all stakeholders, including the Opposition, to deliberate on major energy policy decisions.

“I believe that is the right place for such a discussion to take place. We have all the stakeholders come together, including the Opposition, for discussion on these important issues. I believe the Government ought to re-establish the energy council, put this matter to the energy council for consideration. Without that broad-based approach, I believe it is unwise for the Government to pursue this,” Paulwell has emphasised.

Embracing renewables target

Paulwell said the Opposition fully embraces the drive toward 50 per cent renewables by 2030.

“We see potential not only in solar but also in hydropower, with World Bank research identifying seven rivers in Jamaica suitable for development, as well as additional wind capacity,” he pointed out.

The Opposition’s current focus represents a strategic shift toward solar energy as Jamaica’s primary path forward. This isn’t an outright rejection of nuclear technology, but rather a prioritisation based on immediate needs and proven technologies.

“I should let you know that the Opposition focus now is a revolution to occur using solar. We believe that solar is an adequate solution for the short, medium and foreseeable future. Especially because we’re seeing dramatic reduction and improvement in technology for panels, for inverters and even more so for storage, which is the batteries,” Paulwell has explained.

Recent evidence supports this pivot, with approved solar energy bids coming in at approximately US$0.07 cents per kilowatt hour — significantly more affordable than current electricity rates. With battery storage technology rapidly improving, solar is becoming increasingly viable as a base load generation option.

He did not give clear opposition to nuclear technology, but said with the time and costs that it will take to be developed, the focus should be more on renewables now.

“Our commitment remains to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all Jamaicans — a goal we believe is best served through renewable expansion today while keeping longer-term options under careful, transparent study.”

Paulwell’s evolving position on nuclear energy

More than a decade ago, Paulwell requested the first formal exploration of nuclear energy for Jamaica, establishing a committee that included Professor Charles Grant and Professor Gerald Lalor. That committee concluded that while nuclear technology was promising, “it wasn’t yet ready for implementation in Jamaica”.

Paulwell acknowledges his past interest: “The issue of nuclear and energy did arise when I was minister. It was brought to me that it could solve the problem of pricing for electricity to be sold to the grid. And at the time we studied it, but the technology was in its infancy.”

Today, Paulwell maintains that Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology is “still is in its infancy” and expresses concern about two key issues: Insufficient data on pricing benefits and lingering concerns about waste disposal.

Jamaica’s search for sustainable energy solutions has led to a significant political debate about nuclear power. Paulwell advocated for nuclear energy as part of Jamaica’s energy mix in 2009, while then Prime Minister Bruce Golding firmly opposed the idea, citing safety concerns and practical limitations. This long-running debate has evolved over more than a decade, culminating in recent developments that suggest a potential shift in Jamaica’s energy strategy.

Yet, Paulwell said despite embracing renewables instead of nuclear, it is not an idea that is being abandoned.

“But we believe that in terms of priority now, and again until we see details, in terms of priority now, our focus is on solar. We believe that you can utilise solar for both residential and commercial activities and that with storage now becoming far more affordable you can have base load being a feature of the new scenario.”

Professor Grant’s perspective on nuclear adaptation

Professor Charles Grant, who serves as chairman of the nuclear energy working committee, provides important context for understanding the current exploration phase. Having participated in Paulwell’s committee, Grant represents a bridge between past and present nuclear considerations.

Grant has emphasised that Jamaica is still in an exploratory phase, not implementation: “We want to get the real information out there and turn down the temperature a little on the panic level because we’re exploring. And this is not the first time we’ve been asked to explore,” Grant said, referring to the previous committee.

Grant acknowledges that the current exploration could also conclude with a “no” recommendation: “The fact that you’re looking, it can be no for the energy part,” he said, pointing out that Jamaica may not build a nuclear reactor to generate energy.

The need for a measured approach

The current nuclear energy working committee is developing a roadmap following the International Atomic Energy Agency’s milestone approach, which identifies 19 infrastructural issues that must be addressed before nuclear power implementation. This process illustrates the complexity of nuclear adoption.

Grant has emphasised transparency: “The first step in that for us is a public information campaign… I believe this should be done in complete transparency and openness. Otherwise you’ll never get a public buy-in.”

Technical and practical concerns

Beyond policy disagreements, there are serious technical considerations that must be addressed regarding nuclear implementation in Jamaica.

Grid Limitations and Capacity Issues

Jamaica’s limited grid size presents significant challenges for nuclear integration. On this Grant told Business Observer that with Jamaica’s electricity consumption being “at one terawatt at max,” building one of that size would mean the country would be dependent on a single plant for its power.

“Generally speaking, you don’t want any single unit to have more than 10 per cent of your total grid,” he said as he gave insights into how the Government will go about choosing the size of any SMRs, if the country decides to build nuclear power plants in the future.

This constraint immediately limits potential nuclear installations to around 100 megawatts to maintain grid stability, raising questions about economic viability. Even with maintenance schedules accounting for the 94 per cent availability of nuclear reactors, Grant points out that significant backup capacity would be required during the 6 per cent downtime.

Legal and regulatory framework

Then there is the challenge of legal and regulatory hurdles. Jamaica’s current Nuclear Safety Radiation Protection Act of 2015 explicitly prohibits the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation. This presents a significant legislative hurdle that would require parliamentary action to overcome — action that should not be taken without thorough national discussion.

The Opposition’s alternative vision

The Opposition proposes a comprehensive alternative approach to Jamaica’s energy future — one that builds on proven technologies while addressing immediate needs.

Solar revolution and microgrids

“Our vision centres on rooftop solar expansion, enhanced net billing arrangements, and the implementation of wheeling regulations that would allow enterprises to generate excess electricity and transport it across the grid to their other locations,” Paulwell noted.

“We support the recently approved wheeling regulations in Parliament, which create new opportunities for distributed solar generation. We believe this approach aligns perfectly with Jamaica’s natural advantages and can deliver benefits more quickly than nuclear development,” he continued.

Addressing energy theft and technical losses

The Opposition proposes implementing solar microgrids in underserved communities to address Jamaica’s significant electricity theft problem, which currently adds approximately 18-20 per cent to consumers’ bills.

“We also believe there are significant opportunities to reduce technical losses, which currently amount to about US$0.12 cents per kilowatt hour. Paulwell said with proper investment, Jamaica could achieve efficiency similar to South Korea’s 4 per cent technical losses, dramatically lowering costs for consumers. One of the shareholders in JPSCo is the Korea-based East West Power.