OEA - CIDI - Resolución CIDI INF 703

INTER-AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT

OEA/Ser.W CIDI/INF.703/26 17 February 2026

Original: English

CONCEPT NOTE

REGULAR MEETING OF

INTER-AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT (CIDI) FEBRUARY 24, 2026 “ENERGY RESILIENCE AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: Building resilient energy systems amid a changing risk landscape”

A. BACKGROUND Energy systems in the Americas are at a historic inflection point. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) already stand among the global leaders in renewable electricity generation, with approximately 65–69% of electricity produced from renewable sources1 / , well above the global average.

Hydropower remains dominant, accounting for roughly 45–46% of electricity generation2 / , while wind and solar are expanding rapidly and represent a growing share of new installed capacity. In 2024 alone, nearly 80% of new power generation capacity added in the region was renewable3 / . This progress positions the Hemisphere as a global reference for clean electricity systems. However, leadership in renewable deployment does not automatically guarantee resilience or energy security. The region’s heavy reliance on hydropower makes many national systems vulnerable to climate variability, including prolonged droughts and shifting rainfall patterns. Extreme weather events, hurricanes, floods, heatwaves, and wildfires, are increasing in frequency and intensity, directly threatening transmission networks, substations, and generation assets. At the same time, growing electrification, digitalization of grids, distributed generation, and integration of advanced technologies are reshaping energy systems in ways that introduce new vulnerabilities. Energy infrastructure is no longer exposed only to physical risks. The rapid digital transformation of the sector, smart grids, automated dispatch systems, advanced metering infrastructure, AI-based forecasting, and interconnected operational technologies, has significantly expanded exposure to cyber threats. Globally, cyberattacks targeting critical energy infrastructure are increasing in scale and sophistication, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen cybersecurity frameworks and digital governance across the Hemisphere.

1 . OLADE (2024). Energy Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean 2024. Available here:

expanded exposure to cyber threats. Globally, cyberattacks targeting critical energy infrastructure are increasing in scale and sophistication, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen cybersecurity frameworks and digital governance across the Hemisphere.

1 . OLADE (2024). Energy Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean 2024. Available here: https://www.olade.org/en/publicaciones/energy-outlook-of-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-2024/ 2 . International Energy Agency (IEA). Latin America Energy Profile. Available here: https://www.iea.org/reports/latin-america-energy-profile 3 . Ibid 12 In this changing risk landscape, energy resilience must be understood as multidimensional:  Physical resilience against climate and extreme weather impacts;  Operational resilience to ensure system flexibility, redundancy, and rapid recovery;  Digital resilience to safeguard critical infrastructure from cyber threats; and  Economic resilience to reduce exposure to fuel price volatility and supply chain disruptions. Despite significant renewable potential and progress, structural investment gaps persist. Regional studies indicate that an annual investment equivalent to approximately 1% of regional GDP sustained over ten years would make the transition toward a more efficient, secure, and resilient energy system fully feasible4 / . This level of investment would enable grid modernization, expansion of storage capacity, diversification of generation portfolios, reinforcement of transmission networks, deployment of digital protection systems, and strengthening of institutional and regulatory capacities. Importantly, this investment threshold is economically manageable when compared to the longterm costs of inaction, system failures, disaster recovery expenditures, fuel import volatility, and economic losses from power disruptions. Framing energy resilience as a strategic development investment rather than a cost is therefore essential for advancing policy consensus. Strengthening energy resilience is not only a technical priority, but also a cornerstone of

economic stability, social development, and hemispheric security. In alignment with hemispheric commitments to sustainable development, energy transition, and risk reduction, this session will examine how OAS Member states can strengthen the resilience of their energy systems in the face of a changing and increasingly interconnected risk environment.

B. PURPOSE OF THE SESSION This session aims to provide member states with a forward-looking, policy-oriented dialogue on how to build resilient energy systems capable of withstanding an increasingly complex and interconnected risk environment. At a time when energy systems are becoming cleaner, smarter, and more interconnected, they must also become stronger, safer, and more secure. The transformation underway across the Americas presents not only opportunity, but responsibility: to ensure that the energy transition advances reliability alongside sustainability, and innovation alongside protection.

The meeting will examine the evolving physical and digital risks facing energy infrastructure in the Hemisphere, including climate-driven disruptions, extreme weather events, cyber threats, and systemic vulnerabilities associated with rapid technological change. It will explore how renewable expansion and electrification, already advancing at historic speed across Latin America and the Caribbean, can be aligned with resilience and energy security objectives to reduce exposure to fuel volatility, infrastructure fragility, and supply disruptions.

4 . UN-ECLAC Presentation about the ECOSUD project: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/energystats/events/2019-Lima/documents/Dia%201/Sesion%201/2%20- %20Ruben%20Contreras%20-%20CEPAL.pdf3 Particular attention will be given to the cybersecurity challenges emerging from the digital transformation of energy systems. As grids become smarter and more automated, governance frameworks must become sharper and more coordinated. The session will therefore consider policy, regulatory, and investment strategies capable of strengthening system reliability, flexibility, and redundancy in the face of both physical and digital threats.

Drawing on regional studies demonstrating that an annual investment equivalent to approximately one percent of GDP over a ten-year period would make a resilient and efficient energy transition feasible, the dialogue will underscore that resilience is not merely aspirational—it is achievable. Sustained, strategic investment today can prevent systemic costs tomorrow. Ultimately, the session will encourage Member states to recognize resilience as an integral pillar of energy policy, national security planning, and long-term economic development. By aligning sustainability with stability and ambition with preparedness, the Americas can secure an energy future that is both dynamic and dependable.

C. AUDIENCE AND EXPECTATIONS CIDI Meetings are attended by representatives of the Permanent Missions to the OAS. Energy ministers, regulators, cybersecurity authorities, infrastructure agencies, finance ministries, and disaster risk management institutions are encouraged to participate, whether in person or virtually. The session will also benefit from contributions by experts from academia, regional energy organizations, technology providers, financial institutions, and development partners.

The dialogue is expected to move beyond general principles and focus on actionable policy measures, financing mechanisms, regulatory innovation, and institutional strengthening.

D. STRUCTURE OF THE SESSION The CIDI meeting will begin with the substantive thematic discussion described herein and continue with a series of procedural items. The first part of the meeting will include 7-minute presentations from guest panelists, followed by interactive dialogue facilitated by the Chair among invited experts and member states. In the interest of time, member states are kindly requested to limit their interventions to 5 minutes from the floor. Interventions may be delivered directly by Permanent Missions or, at their request, by sectoral authorities connecting from capitals on behalf of their respective countries.

The discussion will center on how member states can effectively strengthen the resilience and security of energy systems in the face of a changing and increasingly complex risk landscape. It will examine how countries can protect critical energy infrastructure from climate-related hazards while

simultaneously addressing the cybersecurity challenges emerging from digital transformation. The dialogue will consider how renewable expansion, electrification, grid modernization, and digital innovation can be pursued in ways that enhance, not compromise. system reliability and energy security.4 The session will aim to identify necessary policy adjustments, regulatory reforms, institutional coordination mechanisms, and investment strategies required to future-proof national energy systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on integrating resilience standards into energy planning frameworks, reinforcing transmission and distribution networks, strengthening digital protection protocols, and enhancing workforce capacity to manage emerging technological and operational risks. Recognizing that resilient energy systems are foundational to economic stability, social welfare, and national security, the insights gathered during this exchange will contribute to shaping future CIDI deliberations and potential recommendations or resolutions addressing the protection and modernization of critical energy infrastructure across the Americas. Delegations are encouraged to consider the following guiding questions, focusing on concrete programs, regulatory approaches, and investment strategies that may be shared. Following the discussion, these may be documented in CooperaNet to support cooperation exchanges and regional knowledge-sharing:  How can OAS member states strengthen the physical resilience of critical energy infrastructure against extreme weather events and climate variability?  What cybersecurity frameworks and digital governance mechanisms are necessary to protect increasingly interconnected and automated energy systems from emerging threats?  In what ways can regional cooperation strengthen cross-border energy security, shared risk management mechanisms, and coordinated responses to systemic disruptions?  What institutional and workforce capacities must be developed to manage the evolving technological and operational risks in the energy systems of the future?

E. OUTCOMES OF THE SESSION The session is expected to elevate energy resilience to its rightful place as a central pillar of hemispheric development and security discussions. It will promote greater policy coherence between energy transition ambitions and resilience strategies, ensuring that sustainability advances hand in hand with stability and protection. Through constructive dialogue, the meeting will encourage Member states

to adopt measurable investment benchmarks that strengthen system robustness and provide clear pathways toward long-term reliability. It will also foster deeper collaboration across the energy, digital, cybersecurity, and finance sectors, recognizing that modern energy systems operate at the intersection of infrastructure, technology, and economic policy. The insights generated are intended to inform future CIDI recommendations or resolutions focused on building resilient and secure energy systems throughout the Americas. By positioning resilience at the core of energy policy, Member states can safeguard economic stability, accelerate sustainable development, and ensure reliable and secure energy access for present and future generations.

F. INVITED GUEST EXPERT PANELISTS The following expert panelists will join the CIDI session:  Juan Santiago , Founder & CEO of Santex. Mr. Santiago will examine the digital transformation of the energy sector, including smart grids, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity challenges, and strategies to protect critical digital infrastructure from evolving cyber threats.5  Victorio Oxilia Dávalos, Professor at the Polytechnic Faculty of the National University of Asunción and former Executive Secretary of OLADE. Professor Oxilia Dávalos will address regional energy integration, infrastructure resilience, regulatory frameworks, grid modernization, and strategies to strengthen system reliability amid climate and structural risks.