With the aim of perfecting the proposed reforms to the legislation of the national electricity sector and achieving the best socio-political viability, the National Energy Secretariat (SNE), with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), undertook the development of the Active Listening process of all sectors of the population of the country, in order to know and collect their concerns, experiences and contributions of all kinds.
The priority is to meet the needs of the population by guaranteeing access to clean, affordable, safe and sustainable energy, where energy governance is essential.
This Active Listening process is part of the actions that the SNE has been developing with the interest of achieving a fair proposal for the electricity sector, based on comprehensive benefits for the Panamanian population.
Energy Secretary Jorge Rivera Staff explained that the entire process for this proposed electricity sector law is part of the Democratization of Energy, which aims to provide citizens with more options.
"The reform of 25 years ago was the privatization of the sector, this one we are presenting now is for the democratization of it," that is the central concept to reinforce going forward.
In other words, Rivera Staff stated that democratization will empower citizens to exercise their decision, that is, "with more options for clean and quality energy, now you will be the one who decides," he said.
Active Listening began last Monday, August 7th in David, Chiriquí and continued on Tuesday the 8th in Santiago de Veraguas, while on Wednesday, August 9th it moved to the capital city, where additionally this Friday, August 11th, another session was held to continue engaging with the sectors in order to strengthen the legislative proposal.
These sessions, convened directly by the Energy Secretariat, were attended by residents from different regions of the country, whose contributions were listened to and tabulated in order to strengthen the steps for the legislative improvement process and the construction of socio-political viability, regarding the implementation of the Energy Transition Agenda and the social internalization of the changes that will be generated by moving towards the sustainable use of energy in all aspects of the economy.
In addition to residents from different urban, rural and regional communities, concerned and interested in strengthening the present and future energy of Panama, attendees included various local authorities, representatives of companies, public entities, municipal authorities, academic and university institutions, trade associations, students and entrepreneurs, as well as international cooperation organizations and non-profit foundations.
The National Energy Secretariat (SNE), with support from the UNDP, implemented a methodology in these Listening sessions focused on allowing people to freely express their considerations and contributions, in order to collect and analyze them transparently and impartially, and strengthen the proposed law for the electricity sector by promoting the Energy Transition, Democratization and Strengthening of the Public Electricity Service, whose proposed benefits are:
- Increased access to electricity by 2030: This proposal seeks to increase the availability of resources to facilitate and accelerate rural electrification through renewable energy to reduce the energy inequality gap by providing electricity to those who do not have access.
- More alternatives for the provision of electricity service: enabling the participation of new companies where the electricity user can directly select who can be their electricity service provider (marketing activities) along with enabling the active role of the consumer as an energy producer.
This structure promotes the democratization of the electricity service while empowering customers by allowing them to choose their supplier beyond the current distributor.
In addition, storage and aggregation services are enabled to generate new opportunities for marketing the energy that prosumers can generate.
- Economic savings for the end consumer: the implementation of green technologies in residences or businesses results in the use of solar energy to produce electricity, which substantially reduces electricity bill costs.
- Job creation : Promoting the use of sustainable technologies stimulates economic growth by generating direct and indirect jobs due to the increased opportunities to install clean energy nationwide, positively impacting all provinces and regions.
- Environmental benefits : Having clean energy in a large number of homes and businesses reduces environmental pollution, helping to provide cleaner air, improving people's health, and making it easier for the average Panamanian to also contribute to reducing the impact of climate change on the planet.
This is the result of fulfilling the goals described in the national strategies prepared to achieve the Strategic Guidelines of Panama's Energy Transition Agenda.
In each region, these five main benefits of the energy transition were discussed, aimed, among other aspects, at reducing the energy inequality gap and providing electricity to those who do not have access.