Wescot-Williams asks government to act on utility tariff report

MP Sarah Wescot-Williams wrote to Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina and Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten on Thursday 29 October, asking why recommendations in the RAC/BTP report on electricity and water tariffs cannot be carried out while BTP completes its analysis.

Wescot-Williams said BTP, which has been assigned as regulator of the utilities sector, needs about another month after receiving information from SOL. She said the report has been with government since April 2025 and that many findings do not depend on SOL data.

Among the measures she said can be taken now are correcting GEBE's fuel clause formula, accounting for a fuel clause surplus estimated in the report at about US$6.9 million for 2022 through 2024, and publishing monthly fuel clause calculations and tariffs. She said electricity consumers are carrying fuel costs for water production and that electricity used for water production is charged through both electricity and water tariffs.

Wescot-Williams also asked government to decide on the Seven Seas contract and prepare for the Water Supply Agreement with Seven Seas, which expires on 13 February 2027. She raised questions about the port throughput fee included in SOL's fuel price to GEBE, including its basis, the port facilities SOL uses and the amount it has generated.

According to Wescot-Williams, her letter contains 16 questions. She asked the Prime Minister to explain his statement that the fee adds little to consumers' bills.