WILLEMSTAD – MAN Member of Parliament Suzy Camelia-Römer is questioning whether Curaçao is adequately considering the island’s available electricity capacity when approving new hotels and other major construction projects, following recent power outages and load shedding by utility company Aqualectra.
Camelia-Römer has submitted 19 parliamentary questions to Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas under Article 96a of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. She is requesting that Pisas, who as Minister of General Affairs is responsible for the government’s shareholding in Aqualectra, appear before Parliament as soon as possible to provide answers.
A central issue raised by the parliamentarian is whether Curaçao’s rapid development is being sufficiently coordinated with the capacity of its electricity system.
Camelia-Römer wants to know how the government can continue permitting major developments, including new hotels, while Aqualectra has recently struggled to guarantee uninterrupted electricity to existing neighborhoods.
She is also asking whether the availability of sufficient electricity generation and distribution capacity is assessed before major construction permits are issued and whether Aqualectra is formally involved in that process.
Another series of questions focuses on Aqualectra’s preparations for periods of high temperatures and low wind. During such periods, electricity demand can increase while wind-generated electricity declines. Camelia-Römer wants to know why sufficient preventive measures were apparently not in place to avoid shortages and load shedding.
The MP is also seeking a detailed overview of investments made by Aqualectra over the past ten years to increase generation capacity and improve the reliability of Curaçao’s electricity supply.
She wants Pisas to disclose what information Aqualectra provided to the government before the latest problems occurred, particularly regarding the possibility of insufficient generation capacity.
Camelia-Römer is also raising questions about governance and political responsibility. She wants to know whether Pisas considers the current situation evidence of a structural governance problem at Aqualectra and whether the government, in its role as shareholder, has exercised adequate oversight.
The economic consequences of the outages are another concern. MAN wants to know whether the government has calculated the financial damage caused by load shedding, including lost productivity and the impact on businesses and Curaçao’s wider economy.
The questions come as Curaçao continues to experience substantial development, particularly in tourism and real estate, increasing the importance of ensuring that essential infrastructure expands alongside economic activity.
Camelia-Römer is also seeking information about contingency planning when electricity demand exceeds available production.
She specifically asks how vulnerable groups are protected during power interruptions, including elderly residents, people with health conditions and those who depend on electrically powered medical equipment.
The 19 questions add to growing political pressure on the government and Aqualectra to explain the causes of the recent electricity problems and provide greater clarity on how Curaçao intends to ensure that its power infrastructure can support both the existing population and future economic development.