WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s electricity system has improved significantly since the series of blackouts between 2019 and 2023, but important vulnerabilities remain and some measures will not be fully implemented until around 2027. That is one of the main conclusions of an independent review commissioned by the Regulatory Authority of Curaçao (RAC).
The report, prepared by ENGIE/Laborelec, examined how Aqualectra has followed up on recommendations issued after previous blackouts. It also reviewed the investigation into the island-wide blackout of August 27, 2025 and the subsequent restoration of electricity.
The overall assessment is considerably more positive than reports issued following earlier power failures. According to Laborelec, Aqualectra has made “substantial and measurable progress” during the past two to three years in technical operations and the organization of its electricity system.
Aqualectra's own overview lists 75 recommendations arising from previous investigations, with an overall reported completion rate of 95 percent. Recommendations originating from investigations into the 2020 blackouts were listed as 100 percent completed, while those connected to 2021 stood at almost 89 percent. Actions from the 2023 investigations were reported as fully completed.
One of the biggest areas of improvement concerns the protection system. Between 2019 and 2023, Aqualectra reported that ten blackouts were caused by problems involving grid protection. The utility has since introduced a new protection philosophy and carried out an updated coordination study aimed at preventing a problem in one part of the grid from cascading into a much larger outage.
However, the work is not finished.
Full implementation of the new protection system at the crucial 66-kilovolt level remains pending. The review also identifies wiring integrity and management of protection settings as areas requiring continued attention.
The report says the electricity network is undergoing significant changes, including the addition of the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), the Salu power plant and changes associated with greater use of renewable energy.
Aqualectra has also changed the way its electricity operations are organized. Grid management and power plant management have been separated, while operations and maintenance have been assigned separate responsibilities. Laborelec considers the new structure beneficial because it creates clearer accountability.
Nevertheless, the investigators found that formal procedures remain a weakness. During their site visit, they observed that a relatively small number of highly knowledgeable employees carry responsibilities across a broad range of highly technical areas. Laborelec said this makes formal procedures particularly important so knowledge and responsibilities can be distributed more effectively.
Another major development is the BESS installation. Laborelec expects the battery system to substantially improve frequency stability and contribute to voltage regulation. But its associated GEMS control system was still undergoing testing, meaning Aqualectra needs operating experience to fully understand its benefits and limitations.
With more wind and other renewable generation expected in the coming years, maintaining grid stability will become increasingly complex.
The report therefore recommends that RAC continue closely monitoring the implementation of the 66kV protection settings, experience with BESS and GEMS, commissioning of the Salu plant, future upgrades of the 66kV and 30kV networks and technical requirements for new wind turbines and generating units.
Laborelec's overall conclusion is that Curaçao's electricity system is moving in the right direction, but that the remaining work is essential if the island is to build a resilient electricity network capable of handling increasing renewable-energy penetration.