Local electricity consumers have been advised that there has been an increase in the fuel surcharge rate for October bills to 86.71 cents per kilowatt-hour, up seven cents from the previous month.
The announcement was made by the St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) on Tuesday.
The company said the rate represents an increase of seven cents per kWh compared to the previous month and an increase of 3.5 cents when compared with the previous high of 83.20 cents that was applied to July bills.
VINLEC said that given the high fuel prices, its subsidy of $798,591 is also the highest monthly subsidy applied. The company noted that without this subsidy, the fuel surcharge would have exceeded 92 cents for the month of October.
According to VINLEC, its overall subsidy has exceeded $3.9 million since the introduction of the Government’s cost-of-living initiatives in May 2026.
The company explained that benchmark prices for diesel fuel used by most Caribbean territories reached an all-time record high in September 2026 due to global supply disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions, and this is reflected directly in the fuel surcharge rate.
VINLEC also said it continues to invest in projects aimed at expanding renewable energy penetration in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Among the immediate projects are the recently recommissioned solar farm at the Lowmans Bay Power Station, which has nearly tripled the solar PV generated at Lowmans Bay, and the ongoing Battery Energy Storage System project at its Cane Hall facilities.
The company said the battery energy storage project is due to be completed in early 2027 and is being installed to accommodate the expansion of renewable energy systems.
VINLEC is encouraging customers to continue practising conservation as much as is practically possible.
Customers seeking further information about their electricity bills may contact the Customer Services Department via email at customerservices@vinlec.com, telephone 456-1701 extensions 237 or 238, or through the company’s Facebook page, VINLECSVG.
You must be logged in to post a comment.