Residents in the British Virgin Islands will be paying more on their electricity bill from this month.
This is according to a media statement from the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) on Tuesday May 18.
The statement informed residents that the price hike in all electricity bills stems from the recent amendments made to BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) regulations, which came into effect on April 15, 2021.
“Wharfage as set out in paragraph (b) of Item E of the Third Schedule shall be charged on petroleum products discharged through ships pipeline direct to private facility of cargo owners” and “$0.10 per gallon on petroleum products discharged through ships pipeline direct to private facility of cargo owners,” the BVIEC stated.
They added, “Please be advised that due to the imposition of this new law, all customers’ electricity bills from May 2021, and going forward, will include this increase in the cost of fuel to produce electricity in the “Fuel Surcharge” section of your electricity bills.”
The BVIPA announced in January that they were adjusting a number of their fees to ensure economic sustainability of the Ports Authority. Following backlash from a number of businesses and residents, the BVIPA later revisited some of the increased fees that were said to have raised by nearly 500 percent.