BL&P to recover some costs from customers

The Barbados Light and Power has been granted permission to recover some of the cost of investing in battery storage from customers.

However, householders will have to wait a while longer to find out if and by how much their electricity bills will increase by, over the next three years.

The Fair Trading Commission’s decision on the power company’s request for a clean energy transition rider was issued on Monday, approximately seven months after the application was filed.

BL&P officials said the importation of batteries and other equipment was needed to stabilise the country’s power supply, given the growing number of renewable energy systems connected to the grid.

If successful, householders would have seen their monthly bills increase by $41 over a three year period.

But while the BL&P was seeking approval to recover the cost of investing in 90 megawatts of battery energy storage systems, the FTC has only approved 15 megawatts.

The remaining 75 megawatts and synchronous condensers were not approved.

The Barbados Light and Power has expressed some disappointment with this decision.

Managing Director Roger Blackman, has however acknowledged it as a step forward in the journey towards sustainable energy solutions for Barbados.

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