ANGLEC customers will soon see fuel subsidy credits applied to their accounts after the government paid more than EC$3.3 million in support towards April electricity usage.
In a customer notice issued on 8 May, the power company said the credits would begin to be processed the same day but asked the public to allow “sufficient time” for all adjustments to be completed.
“ANGLEC remains committed to working closely with the Government of Anguilla to ensure this process is completed as efficiently and accurately as possible,” it said.
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The government, in a press release on 9 May, said the payment relates to last month’s electricity use and a total of 7,925 customer accounts will benefit from the support package.
Of that figure, 156 accommodation sector accounts – including hotels, villas and guesthouses – will receive EC$972,006 in support, while 7,769 other customer accounts will receive $2,377,406.
Premier Cora Richardson Hodge, who also serves as finance minister, said the measure is aimed at easing rising energy costs amid geopolitical tensions.
“This assistance is about protecting local quality of life, supporting our people and easing cost-of-living pressure at a time of continued global fuel volatility,” she said.
“We recognised that the increase in fuel-related electricity costs would place real strain on households and businesses and we took action to provide meaningful relief.
“We are pleased that this support is now being reflected on customer accounts and will continue to keep the situation under close review.”
The premier encouraged the public to conserve electricity wherever possible, saying reducing unnecessary consumption would help lower costs and support the sustainability of the relief programme.
In a notice issued on 4 May, ANGLEC confirmed that the government’s promised subsidy had not yet been applied to customer bills but would be credited soon.
The power provider said totals for April were calculated using the new fuel surcharge of EC$0.88 per kilowatt-hour, which more than doubled from $0.42 per kWh on 1 April.
It explained that, as an independent utility, it was required to bill customers at the full rate based on actual usage.
The temporary relief package, announced by the government on 30 March, caps usage costs at $0.65 per kWh for the accommodation sector and $0.42 per kWh for domestic customers for two months.
