MUL Explains Increased Electricity Bills in April

Montserrat Utilities Limited (MUL) has moved to provide an explanation to customers for the increase in the fuel surcharge rate applied to electricity bills for the month of April.

Customers are up in arms over the significant increase on what they say is an already punishing applied fuel surcharge.

Managing Director of MUL Kendall Lee said the fuel surcharge rate that was applied to electricity bills for April was 73 cents per unit, an increase of 13 cents over that which applied to bills for March, which was 60 cents per unit.

He explained that there was a drop in the electricity sales recorded for March 2019 (which represents mainly the consumption during February 2019), and a large increase in fuel used by the power station in March 2019 as a result of increased demand during that month.

The MULK Managing Director says this situation and the way the fuel cost recovery mechanism operates has resulted in the increase.

Mr. Lee stated that the price of fuel only increased marginally during March 2019 and therefore did not contribute significantly to the increase in the fuel surcharge rate.

He says the Company expects that the fuel surcharge rate will return to previous levels during the next billing period once fuel prices remain at current levels.