The Nevis Electricity Company Limited (NEVLEC) has issued a press release confirming the fears of its customers with the re-introduction of Fuel Surcharge.

In 2024, a Domestic Tariff was put in place to offset fuel surcharge for Domestic customers. The main objective of the tariff was for Domestic customers to contribute to the cost of fuel through adjusted energy charges while limiting the full impact on fuel prices which led to lower monthly charges.

According to NEVLEC, due to the rising cost in fuel, a decision was made to re-introduce the Fuel Surcharge. NEVLEC’s actual fuel cost factor increased from $0.53/kWh in April to $0.76/kWh in May and further $0.79/kWh in June of this year. With the increase, the tariff structure can no longer withstand the cost required to uphold electricity services.

The release also shared that NEVLEC “understands that an increase in electricity bills will affect all customers, however, this adjustment is necessary to allow the company to recover a portion of the increased fuel cost and continue providing reliable electricity service”. It added that “the fuel surcharge is not a fixed charge and may vary depending on the fuel pricing. This is intended to be a temporary measure and will be revisited once fuel prices stabilize.”

Customers are encouraged to conserve as much electricity as possible by turning off lights, fans, televisions and appliances when not in use, unplug chargers and electronic devices when they are not being used, use air conditioning (a/c) only when necessary, keep doors and windows closed when using a/c units, use LED bulbs, wash full loads when using the washing machine, avoid leaving the refrigerator open for a long periods of time and iron clothing in batches.

For more information, please call their Customer Service Department at 469-7245.