Panama has launched the participatory process for developing the 2026–2040 National Energy Plan, a strategic instrument that will guide the country’s energy sector decisions over the coming years. The launch brought together national government authorities, private sector representatives, international organizations, academia, and civil society.
The event was attended by the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, and the National Energy Secretary, Rodrigo Rodríguez J., who highlighted the importance of strengthening energy planning through an open process that incorporates input from various sectors.
“Panama needs serious energy planning and decisions that can actually be implemented. That is what this government is pursuing: coordination between institutions and rules that build confidence for investment,” said the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac.
During his remarks, Orillac explained that, alongside the launch of the National Energy Plan, the government is advancing key sector initiatives, including electrical interconnection, the implementation of ethanol, and the energy tender program, with the goal of strengthening the electricity supply and supporting the country’s energy development.
For his part, National Energy Secretary Rodrigo Rodríguez J. noted that the 2026–2040 National Energy Plan will be developed as a participatory process based on technical information, with the aim of producing an instrument that guides decisions on infrastructure, supply, and development of the energy system.
Also attending the event was the Executive Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE), Andrés Rebolledo Smitmans, who shared a regional perspective on the importance of energy planning in a context of profound sector transformation.
Rebolledo noted that Panama plays a strategic role beyond its own market, thanks to its geographic position, its capacity for regional coordination, and its growing logistics and energy platform.
He also emphasized that countries need state policies capable of anticipating technological changes, integrating renewable energy, storage, electric mobility, and new energy carriers such as low-emission hydrogen, as well as strengthening regional energy integration as a key resource for improving the security and competitiveness of energy systems.
The plan’s development process will take place over the next 18 months and will include participation spaces with public institutions, the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations. As part of this stage, regional forums will be held in various provinces and comarcas across the country, with the goal of gathering input to inform the diagnosis, scenarios, and priorities of the energy sector.
The National Energy Secretariat indicated that the process will be carried out under a participatory methodology, supported by technical information and monitoring mechanisms, with the aim of producing an executable plan that strengthens the energy system and contributes to Panama’s sustainable development.
