Minister to seek BTP advice on immediate GEBE tariff changes

The minister said the examination includes issues surrounding GEBE’s fuel clause, tariff calculations and cost structure. She said questions raised about the fuel clause, electricity costs allocated to water production, a reported fuel-clause surplus, tariff transparency, GEBE financial information, fuel procurement costs and the port throughput fee had the government’s attention.

Heyliger-Marten said BTP would be asked to separate verified findings from measures that can responsibly be introduced while the wider examination continues, and from matters requiring more information or formal regulatory decisions. She also said she intends to ensure Parliament receives a substantive written response after consultations with BTP and other competent authorities.

The minister said the government should examine the underlying cost of electricity production, including competitive fuel procurement, fuel-storage and pipeline infrastructure, utility-scale solar generation with battery storage, and a net-metering framework. She said possible targeted arrangements for vulnerable households, seniors, schools and farmers, as well as optional prepaid electricity with consumer safeguards, should also be examined.