Guernsey Electricity is embarking on an island wide consultation with customers and other stakeholders to identify how its tariffs can be changed to ensure they are fair for all and enable advances in technology.
The way electricity is generated and used is evolving, with customers increasingly making use of small generation technologies, such as solar power and other renewables, and using less from the grid. Guernsey Electricity still has to maintain the grid as a back-up supply for these customers if required. As a large proportion of the company’s costs are fixed and not affected by the amount of electricity used, the current tariff structure does not allow these costs to be recovered in the future and needs to change.
To help shape the development of the new tariffs, Guernsey Electricity has announced a two month consultation that will engage its customers and other local stakeholders to understand their views.
Alan Bates, Guernsey Electricity’s chief executive, says the consultation process is key to explaining the challenges faced to customers, listening to their views and energy needs, and in working together.
“Our tariff structures have been in place since 1993 and in that time the way electricity is generated has changed significantly and also continues to change at a rapid pace, so for this reason our tariffs need to evolve to meet these advances in technology.
“In the same way that we are committed to providing a secure, sustainable and reliable electricity service that is affordable and fair to all, we also are committed to the consultation process being transparent about the changes required. It is important Islanders take part so that they are able to have their say and shape the future of electricity tariffs for Guernsey,” added Mr Bates.
As part of the consultation process, the company has commissioned an independent market research agency, ‘Explain’, to engage with Islanders. Initiatives will include customer workshops, consultations with a cross section of local stakeholders, telephone interviews and running surveys in venues across the Island in October and November this year.
Results from the consultation will be made public in Spring 2019.
