Increase in electricity bills coming

Barbadians can brace for a slight increase in their electricity bills as an interim rate increase has been granted to the Barbados Light and Power (BLPC) by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC).

At a news conference on Saturday, Chief Executive Officer of the FTC Dr Marsha Atherley-Ikechi said that the interim rate had been granted to the utility provider, while the substantive application for a rate increase will be discussed during a series of hearings planned for the Accra Beach Hotel beginning on Wednesday.

Dr Atherley-Ikechi said even though the interim rate increase and the final determination on the substantive rate matter are separate and distinct, as the information used to determine the substantive rate is more in-depth and greater in volume than the data used for the interim, the commission had decided to grant it.

“The commission therefore grants interim rate relief [to the company] but caps it at 50 per cent of the requested rate for all consumer classes, except the employee class … when I say the employee class I am referring to employees of the Barbados Light and Power Company limited. They are in a separate category, and specific rates apply to them.”

She added, “It must be noted that these rates are not retroactive … in the initial application the utility sought the institution of interim rate relief effective October 1st, 2021, these rates as we have established them will be effective from the date of this decision, September 16th 2022 and will remain in place until the substantive decision is issued.”

The CEO noted that there was a condition to the judgment, saying that if the substantive rate increase hearing shows that the rates sought were excessive, The Barbados Light and Power Company would be required to reimburse customers with interest.

Earlier in the year, BLPC sought increases ranging from $2 to $6 more per month for domestic customers in order to fund its planned investments to meet customer needs. With this FTC decision, the increases will now sit instead at $1 to $3 more per month for domestic users. (SB)