“RA’s Electricity Fees Will Temporarily Increase”

April 14, 2021

The RA’s “electricity fees will temporarily increase for the first time since 2016,” the Regulatory Authority said today.

A spokesperson said, “To ensure the delivery of Bermuda’s first Integrated Resource Plan [IRP], which is intended to deliver 85% renewable energy by 2036, the RA’s electricity fees will temporarily increase for the first time since 2016.

“The Regulatory Authority fees which changed from 0.00475 to 0.00635 effective April 1, 2021, will directly be used to implement new electricity tariffs and fund a series of wind studies.”

Denton Williams, CE for the RA commented: “A lack of funding in the previous fiscal year hampered the development of the IRP’s wind-farm project.

“The first phase for the procurement of the wind-farm is expected to be completed within two years’ time and includes a series of desktop and meteorological studies.

“The wind-farm and other renewable energy projects will help to stabilise the cost of electricity, provide opportunities for jobs and training to support Bermuda’s economy, and deliver safe and reliable energy for our children and subsequent generations.”

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Comments (32)

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  1. 2020 Won says:

    PLP reducing Bermuda’s cost of living, one fee increase at a time.

    Don’t worry, it’s only temporary, but there is no expiry date before they introduce a new ‘tariff’ structure.

    And for this hard work the RA Directors take a fee of over $6,000 per month. Nice work if you can get it.

    • Joe Bloggs says:

      Daylight Savings Time was only temporary when it started.

      The Bailey Bridge next to the former Longbird Bridge was only temporary when it was installed.

      Many temporary measures last for decades or centuries.

    • Navin Johnson says:

      What are the salaries and costs of the Regulatory Authority? Have they had any increases since 2016?

  2. donnovan currie says:

    it may not be much, but presumably this will be passed onto the consumer so did anyone give any thought as to how this might be perceived by people in the middle of a lockdown and as people lose their jobs

  3. Question says:

    A 33% increase. In an economy that is closed down. Thanks PLP.

  4. Vaccinated says:

    What a crock

  5. Bermuda Bob says:

    The only news here, is that the over inflated RA needs to go by the way of the Do Do Bird.. extinct!
    Waste of time, and political appointments..

  6. Craig Looby says:

    lol…. 200mw solution to solve green energy and clean water production for the entire island which was short listed in the irp…  n was never vetted or investigated / technically reviewed  by the scam RA irp…. would have been online by now… belco would be closed by now…and there would be no need for a power rate increase…instead a wind and solar plan… that was rejected by the energy ministry in 2015, is now going to save the island in 7 yrs… while the same ignored solution shortlisted in the irp, which could have been online by now…is still being ignored, even tho it can still be deployed in a shorter time line than the very weak wind and solar plan ( 200mw deployment in 3 yrs) ….. plp energy minister claims new energy tech will be given space to deploy in bermuda, but refuses to let the solution short listed in the ra irp, which applied to the bermuda infrastructure fund for part of the deployment funding, deploy in bermuda….. this island bermuda is a joke 

  7. QFF says:

    So effectively electricity rates are rising firstly from RA increases. How about Williams stop building his empire of staff and outsourced foreign consultants and get more things done with less – like the rest of the country. Williams publicly rejected wind months before the final IRP was published. Now he wants to justify it with added cost in the midst of a pandemic. What logic is that? If renewable energy will reduce cost, then stick to your ambitious IRP schedule and get it done. It’s already behind schedule. Stop making excuses.

    Please provide a summary of the number of new positions created in 2 years and the cost of wages/salaries? Please also provide a clear roadmap of the cost of energy over the life of the IRP. Actual cost per kwh. Not the promised rhetoric of “over the long term energy prices will go down” that both the RA and BELCO blurb out without proof.

    The IRP is suppose to reduce cost. The RA costs over 6M a year – one of the most expensive regulators per capita in the world! What does the consumer get? Oh that’s right, a published list of providers and facing commercials about the IRP with a character that’s looks all too familiar. However you remain silent about the Blackout and the pollution. Well done regulator!

  8. wahoo says:

    Well that didn’t take them long did it?

  9. BaileysBay says:

    So, let me see if I’ve got this right. The regulator is going to charge the consumer(us) 33% more in order to implement new tariffs (in other words, implementing new costs to us)…is that pretty much it in a nutshell?
    How about regulating the electrical utility which has had a series of island wide blackouts this year to begin with befre asking us for more money?
    Oh wait. You’re not asking, are you RA?

    • I See says:

      RA, Planning. No difference. They do what they want whenever they want. Like pushing through another massive set of luxury condos in a small quiet neighborhood. Even after multiple objections in writing, not even trying to work with the neighborhood, and free stamping every high dollar project. It doesn’t matter how much it impacts neighbors properties who are close enough to each other that you can toss a cup of sugar between them. Then when the limestone is rattling for months on end and you have cracks in your roofs and walls. All your get is “we didn’t do that” or “prove it, oh you can’t because you have no money to put up a fight?” Some planning is mentioned in the news, some is pushed to the front page, others are pushed through the backdoor.

  10. Another world says:

    Maybe Roban should take a page out of Renee Ming’s book: “The Ministry extends its apologies for any angst and frustration this matter has caused the public during these very sensitive times for our Country.”

    Surely we can’t be accepting an increase in cost for Bermudians without work and struggling in this pandemic. What common sense does this make ? Take all that so called stimulus from Algonquin pay for the studies. We all know they will get the wind projects as they publicly state already and with Caines in now charge.

  11. George says:

    RAB IRP – Scenario 1D : 75% renewables by 2035

  12. Kenny says:

    Why are they increasing it now when none knows if they’ll have work tomorrow… silly, silly… And they’ll never be decreased by belco in the future either.

  13. joker says:

    TEMPORARY yeah like who will believe that.m kinda like the Bailey bridges on Causeway they were are temporary as well

    • Sailor says:

      You mean like the hospital levy which eventually became payroll tax

    • Eyes says:

      Those Bailey’s bridges, government is waiting for one to bend and collapse like they have done around the world from age fatigue (Check YouTube) . 17-20 years use the Max. In Bermuda’s climate I would be mighty careful. Then they will issue another tax on us to replace them because Gov’t can’t even itch it’s own scratch . Look at the roads! Way overdue to be paved. It’s not getting done each year and many areas are shot and ruining suspension on vehicles.
      On the note at hand, the RA couldn’t pick a better time to raise our rates, our Power in Southampton has only gone out 3 times already this year alone, for hours at a time. The power has gone Sub-Standard like backward nations. Pathetic how stupid they are doing this at this time. Hypocritical!
      Sorry, I wish I could report something Positive, however,………

  14. Truth says:

    Can’t believe these clowns are increasing fees to fund this instead of managing the budget. This new clown CEO is spending money hand over fist

  15. Larry says:

    Its not wise or fare at this time can’t make money now what are they thinking

  16. Shabooh Shoobah says:

    Great another increase in a bloated bureaucracy. How about the Directors and staff of this productive establishment take a pay cut in support of all those who can’t find employment let alone increase their own pay. How’s that airport solar project coming btw another dead elephant project! Government needs to disband the RA and create incentives for investment in alternative energy.

  17. Double S says:

    The RA approved rate increases in early January 2021 as well apparently. And yet the Premier said electricity costs went down!

  18. Real Deal says:

    2036 what a joke. little do they know that there is new technology on its way that will make money hungry centralize power distribution obsolete. It will be the beginning of freedom from this system for God’s children so they can return to Nature and the correct way of developing as a human

  19. Kathy says:

    Why aren’t the prospective investors funding these surveys? Why are we the public funding everything on their behalf?

  20. Truth is killin’ me... says:

    DO WHAT WE LIKE WHEN WE LIKE! WHO GONNA STOP US!!

  21. Red Pill says:

    Temporarily permanent is how we do it here in Bda.

  22. Imjustsaying says:

    That’s right let them stick it to us some more.

  23. Ringmaster says:

    How about if everyone deducts the increase from their bill, and pay on the old amount? Did consumers receive compensation when the entire power system failed a few months ago? Having suffered another failure on Monday, what exactly does the RA do to ensure a secure electricity supply? What are we actually paying for?

  24. Politricks says:

    PLP – this is not how you fulfill your promise to lower the cost of living!

    This is on top of a Government approved Belco rate rise enacted in January 2021!

    You lock us down and then tell us to pay more! You lot have lost the plot.

  25. Loquat tree says:

    Anyone think a petition against this to the RA might work?