est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

A Love Letter To Barbados Light & Power

From the Facebook Page of Rosemary Parkinson BARBADOS LIGHT & POWER – are you waiting for the whole of Barbados to just come down to your offices and scream and shout and behave bad like a set of lunatics all because of your incessant insistence on taking the mickey out of each and every Barbadian…

, , ,

From the Facebook Page of Rosemary Parkinson

I was once a vibrant, beautiful woman without a wrinkle! But this is what your harassment of my life has turned me into. Perhaps a court case would be in order for turning me into a monster with your bills???

BARBADOS LIGHT & POWER – are you waiting for the whole of Barbados to just come down to your offices and scream and shout and behave bad like a set of lunatics all because of your incessant insistence on taking the mickey out of each and every Barbadian who uses a light bulb in this country? Has it dawned on you that two years ago the very same bill from you for the very same usage of your raas gold power at our residence was BDS$400 a month? One year later for the very same usage of that same raas gold power of yours suddenly became BDS$750 a month? Within this last year that very same usage of that very same gold power suddenly became platinum at BDS$1000?.. and now to add insult to injury… one month…yep! I said one month later your raas platinum power has become more expensive than uranium – the bill being BDS$1700 for same said on month supply?

Nothing has changed in terms of usage in this household for the last two years. Sorry! Mea Culpa. I lie. At great cost I turned in my old fridge for a new Energy Saver one! But nothing extra has been purchased to plug into sockets that feed into your miserable meters that are read when you feel like it. The price of oil plummets, the recession arrives, people are losing their jobs and you, dear, dear BARBADOS LIGHT & POWER find it amusing to hike everyone’s right to light to suit your investors’ dividends at the end of a year. For, God forbid, those should drop!

Or is it that by assuring an overseas company that you are able at your whim to dig out the eyes of people on this rock; that no matter how high your now uranium bills become the chuped idiots known as your Barbadian fellow men will just continue to pay without a word and, therefore, you in your almighty power can demand a higher price for the sale of your company to them? I can hear you in the boardroom: “We demand this price for all the assets of our Uranium Power Plant because Barbadians are a set of poppets and no matter what you charge, they will pay and continue to live merrily along.”

On the other hand….perhaps it is just a plain death wish you have, for one can push people to a point and then they suddenly rise up in anger and do things they would normally never consider. And by the way, please do not even begin to consider this note to you a threat of any kind. I would never consider threatening such a powerful uranium company….even ‘though you obviously consider me chuped and a poppet. I am merely trying to help you. I am merely being a good citizen and warning you that this time you have gone just a tad too far in your deceit of the people of this country.

And whilst I am at it? How dare you try to convince me, an intelligent grown woman, that the reason for the enormous bill received this month (a month filled with sudden cuts in power by the way!) is due to an increase in this household’s usage and nothing to do with you all going totally mad in your Accounts Department!!!

Enough is enough!!

162 responses to “A Love Letter To Barbados Light & Power”

  1. Ross Hole Avatar
    Ross Hole

    I used to pay $97 dollars a month in 2008,then $150 in 2009,$275 in mid 2010,$340 for the first couple of months in 2011 then $400 for the most recent,now last months bill came at $500 flat.I did all i could to reduce usage,all my bulbs are the energy saving type,no luxuries like a/c or nothing so just a tv fridge and a fan or two.
    Seems like i ill have to buy a kerosene lamp when i get paid next week cause my electricity will be disconnected,and not by choice.

  2. BAJAN TRUTH Avatar
    BAJAN TRUTH

    B’dos Light & Power and DLP like parasites on the backside of this country, seeking to draw every drop of blood out of the nation. A time of reckoning will come. It is an act of criminality for gov’t to grant an increase at this time of crisis, when Light and Power was not making losses. They actually have the gall to boast in Advocate that profits jump from 28m to 43m at a time when bajans suffering and every other business getting losses. Old people facing these bills and cannot get it pay. My lil business squeeze pon every side. I get a small generator to help and the fuel cost is another trial. Now they say that oil companies dilute the fuel so it burning fast, fast. Somebody got to save us from the rapacious greed and unconscionable acts by these people. Anytime the rest of wunna want to march or do something call me. I will join you.

  3. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    First of all let me say what I forgot in my irate mood when I wrote the above – that Energy Saving Fridge? I had to buy it because Light & Power in their great sense of fun for surging electricity mashed up the one I had. But I did not fuss….could not be bothered at the time to make a mountain out of a mole hill….should have but did not.

    What I fail to understand is why the fuel cost in the first place….? This to me is just another ploy to extricate dollars.

    We did not have a fuel charge in the past and I am sure Light & Power was not using wind to create power. I have never seen (in the past or now) Light & Power not being able to pay their shareholders dividends. So that means to me, this dumb blonde, that Light & Power made money then, and making money now.

    Yes! they got an increase in rates to help their plea for a) higher cost of oil and b) whole new better working L&P. But now we have more power cuts than ever, some of them islandwide. Not only power cuts but constant surges that play de backside with our appliances. And this added fuel charge instead of moving with the times, seems to move with Light & Power – perhaps they use special high end thicker oil or something? And on top of that excessive power charges to householders at their whim…because this bill seems very at their whim…and there is NOTHING WHIMSICAL ABOUT IT!!!!

    Some comments from friends – a Barbadian: My bill is normally $550 now this month over $1500 because they have not ready the metre since November I ask them for a written explimantion as it is not my fault that it has not been read – they find you when they want to turn it offf how about finding us when they need to read it – time for a petition to be signedIt seems like all this is happening in the heart of a recession when business is terrible – people are getting laid off and food prices are soring I like you and also worried about the fate of this island – The talk of Devaulation has risen its head yet again?????

    A friend in Shanghai and everyone thinks the Chinese coming here to holiday: Just got my power bill in Shanghai…for 2 months, with ac running non stop…RMB150…ie BDS 46.40…ok!!! CHINA AIN’T BACKWARD!

    From another Bajan living in the US: It is terrible how much basic services cost in Barbados, I wonder how many old, poor, burdened people/families are struggling in the dark a risk of possible fire because of candle and gas lamp use.

    From a Bajan living here: ‘Uranium Pirates of the Barbadians’!! Total despots – they wield far more power than our Silent PM!!! WHO WILL BELL THE CAT?!!!!Is there such a thing as an ‘Energy Audit’ available to Barbadians by a NON-B L & P professional? Something seems very, very wrong here!

    From me again – someting gotta be done! This is just not alright!! Not this time!!!

  4. David Avatar
    David

    Should we blame the BL&P or should our ire be directed at the Fair Trading Commission?

  5. Charles S.Cadogan Sr Avatar
    Charles S.Cadogan Sr

    Wow! I had predicted that this was going to happen if you sold the only light and power plant that you have to an outsider. But for the love of money and greed you sold it and now they are gouging out your eyes with a smile; Barbadians needs to realize that nothing will change unless you all band together for the common good of all; These people don’t give a rat’s ass about you. It’s all about the money that can be made at any cost. Thy saw an opportunity to make money, and took it; BLAME the share holders who thought that money was more important than HUMAN-BEINGS; You sold your souls to the DEVIL and now he is showing his ass, because he knows he holds all the cards in this game; The prices will continue to rise because they have no competition to threaten them;
    I feel so very sorry for those older people who are on a fix income to be living this way in what you call modern times; When things should be better than their presently are;
    A sad Bajan in the US…. Prayers alone isn’t going to do it this time;

  6. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    The Barbadian public has now awaken to the realisation that the Barbados Light and Power Co. Ltd. is ripping them off. Well I have news for you, as far as I am aware they have been ripping of this country for the last thirty years. Cast your minds back to the rate increase before the last. There was a twenty-six year interval. Now ask yourselves, how could anyone sell a product at the same price for 26 years and continue to make a handsome profit for all of the 26 years if the product was not already over-priced from the start.

    People continue to blame port charges and other things for Barbadian products being uncompetitive, but that is not the case. The two main reasons why our products are are too expensive and not being accepted by our neighbours are the cost of electricity and our over valued dollar.

    BL&P owes every customer a large refund.

  7. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    Just to let all those reading this blog. In the interest of being fair…first…since I have not been keeping up with who sell what to who…I was under the impression that negotiations were still on re the sale of our power company to a Canadian entity…now I hear that this sale has already been complete. So now we have Canadians diggin’ we eye out in a company that seems to have never made a profit loss since its inception. No problem with that, of course. We all gotta make a likkle money, business is business, but when Barbados Light & Power was still owned by the previous lot, the name Bajan Poppets had already crept in to the vocabulary of those who owned it then…obviously. And could it be that when they forced the hand of government to give them an increase they already knew they were going to sell the company and wanted to show the new would-be eye-diggers how great a profit they could make once the acquisition took place?? And second and most importantly Barbados Light & Power your suggestion to us that our usage had gone up and something was wrong at our end…is a load of codswallop and eff you ent know what dat means…it means you think you can screw wid us! We have just had a Certified Electrician come here and check everything…from the meter inside the house to everything that we use…bit by bit…very systematically and he has said (like I knew he would!) in no uncertain terms that nothing is wrong…not one thing…and that hike of $700 in one month has nothing to do with usage since we have been using the very same things from day one that I moved in here…actually I thought it was two years….but we are now almost into a complete three!!! So Barbados Light & Power what say you??? Oh! and in case you think I lie…he will be sending us a written report of his findings which I shall also publish. Let me tell you something my dear Canadians who own Light & Power now….I already vex with your airline for something very very mean they have done to one poor little old lady…so please ah beg ya…doan mekk it worse by telling me more crap hear? ‘Cause right now…ah vex ’till ah vex. All I want is for you to apologize to the people of this country and send us corrected bills….NOW!!!

    ……and yes! Where is the Fair Trading Commission????

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Rosemary

    Stephen Worme monitors BU even if he has had to accede to instructions to stop communicating with us.

    Why don’t you give him a call?

    He always seem amenable tp chatting with the public.

  9. John Avatar
    John

    Check on your bill and see if there is an E (for estimated) in the column on your bill marked RC.

    Read your meter and compare it with the Reading as of the date of the bill.

    I did that last year and had BL&P read my meter as opposed to estimating my consumption and ended up paying zero for four months running as BL&P evened out its billing of me.

    I regularly read my meter and guage my daily consumption.

    At the moment I am ahead by about $100.00.

    Reading the meter and comparing it with the bill is easy and fun as it is a way of understanding what electricity you actually use.

    For a few days, or even a day, if you have nothing much in the fridge, unplug it and see how much electricity you save.

    …. or, read the meter at night and then again in the morning and see what you paid for the security lights around your home.

    If there are 100,000 homes in Barbados there are 100,000 meters to be read each month, every month.

    That is tough.

    My meter is the old time kind with dials so a meter reader actually has to come and physically read it.

    The newer ones can be read electronically.

    I get the same with water, an estimate of $700.00 vs a reading of $30 odd. I pay my $30.00 until a meter reader gets the reading.

    I suspect there are electronic water meters but can’t see them being installed in any great hurry in Barbados.

    Meter reading is tough for a utility company.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    The following comment was posted on David/BU’s FB’s page:

    Government’s level of taxation is mainly to blame. Vat on a bill of $100 is $17.50. Vat on a $1000 bill is $175.00. That is a 1000% increase in the amount of VAT paid. Then there is the excise taxes on fuel which also multiply as the cost of oil has tripled in the past five years. Despite the cost of electricity, most people are very careless in how they use it, leaving on lights and electrocnic equipment when not in use.

  11. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Does anyone remember the name EMERA?
    Does anyone remember that EMERA CHARGES THE HIGHEST ELECTRICITY RATES in Cananda?
    Does anyone remember who has majority ownership of Barbados Light and Power?

  12. David Avatar
    David

    Does anyone remember who sold NIS shares in BL&P to EMERA?

  13. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    My Ontario hydro electricity bill.
    Time of use $380.
    Delivery $ 184
    Regulatory $ $39
    DEBT RETIREMENT CHARGE $ 38

    BL&P is now owned by Canadians so look out.

  14. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    Oh! how food connects with memories….as I was downstairs cooking me lunch on my gas stove (sorry! BL&P you cyant blame dat too for me high bill) I remembered once when I lived in Toronto…the price of bacon went up by one cent…Canadian housewives got all smoked up…the Consumer Affairs people looked into the matter, found the hike to be unfair and forced the particular bacon company to put the price back to where it was originally…Oh! and while this was being looked into, not one housewife bought the particular bacon…it was rotting on the shelves.

    Now I know that story is about food but I bet if your fellow Canadians in Canada got a bill such as what many of us have gotten this month from you….the electrifying scream might have been heard all the way down here, the ensuing mess might have caused you to close your doors and go outta business…so this begs a question.

    Did you guys come down here because you know that we Bajans not known for making big fuss? After all even historically we really only had two major uprisings in our history – not like all our warlike brothers down to the south and up in de norff…no sah! we have always been pretty much well-behaved and the perfect place for tiefs to settle…’cause we ent say much normally excep’ in de rum shops – de University of Life – where we vociferate loud but usually go home inebriated enough to eat and fall asleep. But times change….and the internet technology is rampant here now and people opening much more especially when dem pushed into a corner….
    …perhaps you might just have underestimated us on this little rock….just perhaps…
    .

  15. John Avatar
    John

    I am actually reducing my electricity bill by keeping on top of my meter reading.

    I realsise however I won’t get large savings as the fuel charge is a killer, but I am getting reductions.

    My meter only has four dials but the youtube extract below has five.

    No matter, same principle.

  16. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    @Rosemary Parkinson – based on BL&P’s explanation it sounds like your meter is showing much higher usage than previously. Perhaps you might also ask BL&P to check your meter to see if it is working properly. Apart from that John has given good advice.

  17. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    There is a link on the BL&P website showing how to read your meter:
    http://www.blpc.com.bb/cus_metr.cfm

  18. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    @Brutus. We have had an independent electrician check out all of what we are doing re electricity usage…we have also asked (and they promised to send but we have not seen anyone as yet) to come and check out what is going on between post and meter….Whatever way you look at it, unless someone else is tapping into our power…there are no (so far) indications as to why our bill should rise from BDs$1,000 to BDs$1,700 in one month. We have done NOTHING DIFFERENT for the last two/three years..except change our habits towards maximum energy saving…..Maybe we should go back about one and half years ago when we left lights on at night…and did not pay close attention to every little light detail in our house…we had more decent bills then!!!!

  19. John Avatar
    John

    Relate the Reading of your bill on the date shown to the reading you get on your meter.

    In my case the estimate on the bill was higher than the reading I was getting days after the estimate was made.

    I went in to BL&P and pointed out the error.

    They told me call in the reading next time … I took it in.

    The estimate is a way of not having to read every meter in every house every month.

    It evens out over time, but if your bill is going berserk, it might be that the estimated consumption rate is based on a time when you may have had guests, or for a time when it was very hot and you were using alot of airconditioning.

    BL&P won’t bite.

    Tell them the reading you are getting if you suspect your estimate is too high.

    Ask them to send and read it and review their estimated consumption of your home if you feel it is warranted.

    In my case I can state I paid not one red cent for four months of electricity consumption last year.

    … but remember, the estimate is a convenient way of avoiding monthly visits from the meter reader and can prevent surprises both for the meter reader and the home owner as can be seen in this youtube clip.

  20. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    @Rosemary – you probably need to stop looking at the dollar amount of the bill and tell us how many kWh were used in the month when you paid $1,000 and the month when you paid $1,700. Even at $1,000 for a month though I think you would be among the top residential users in Barbados which indicates you are normally using a lot more power than the average household. Your electrician should easily be able to tell you if the meter reading seems wrong.

    I hope you appreciate that your bill will also increase significantly because of the cost of fuel, even if your usage of electricity is the same.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    On the subject of fuel charge, it would be useful for the public to know the details of the arrangement between BNOC and BL&P.

    It is also interesting to note the price of oil has been trending downwards last two months or so with no significant change to consumer price in Barbados. Could it be the BNOC has hedge covering the period of the downward trend which means Barbados has not been able to benefit? If this is the case say so, Bajans would understand. and BL&P.

    It is also interesting to note the price of oil has been trending downwards last two months or so with no significant change to consumer price in Barbados. Could it be the BNOC has hedge covering the period of the downward trend which means Barbados has not been able to benefit? If this is the case say so, Bajans would understand.

  22. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Fight. Complain.Protest…..but

    The best tactic is to reduce your consumption of electricity. Turn off the lights and use the AC sparingly.

    Some of the economists in Canada are still predicting $200 a barrel oil in the next year or two.

    Bajans should try Solar energy options. You have to reduce your dependence on BL&P.

    A Solar system for a 2000 sq.ft house cost less than a Toyota Corolla.

  23. nanci Avatar
    nanci

    that is so unfair, now the gas prices are coming down why cant the light and power and other businesses in barbados bring back down the prices. If you check the prices in the US for oil its coming down and barbados get most of their products from barbados, its so unfair what they doing and there is no one to correct this big problem.

  24. Alien Avatar
    Alien

    Pay the high bills with some of the money that you got for the shares. Emera has the company and may very well soon have back the money paid for it as well. You are smart, highly educated Barbadians – you figure it out.

  25. John Avatar
    John

    Caswell

    The Barbadian public has now awaken to the realisation that the Barbados Light and Power Co. Ltd. is ripping them off. Well I have news for you, as far as I am aware they have been ripping of this country for the last thirty years. Cast your minds back to the rate increase before the last. There was a twenty-six year interval. Now ask yourselves, how could anyone sell a product at the same price for 26 years and continue to make a handsome profit for all of the 26 years if the product was not already over-priced from the start.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    I think I may actually have a logical answer to this seeming contradiction.

    It is to do with stratgic planning.

    I have to see if I can find an article written in the 1980’s by an engineer at Light and Power describing the savings of installing low speed diesel generating plant and the ability to use “cheap” bunker C fuel.

    Then I may be able to quote you actual figures.

    I may be wrong about the article but when I find it I will let you know.

    I suspect the choice of plant and the payback period were major elements in setting rates.

    I have not got a clue what type of generation plant is currently installed but suffice it to say that whatever is installed requires the fuel it was made to run on.

    You can’t magically make one generating set run on all fuels.

    Once the decision to install certain plant is made and it is installed, you can’t unmake it and change to some other choice without incurring costs and downtime.

    It is like diesel and gasoline vehicles.

    Fuels are not interchangeable, at least if you don’t want to mash up your engine.

    I think a couple of questions might be what mix of fuels are required to run the generating plant and does the mix minimse fuel costs?

    I have been out of touch for too long to be definitive in anything I say.

    I would have to ask some questions and educate myself as to the current status quo vis a vis generating capacity.

    Right now I am real busy so all I do where utilities are concerned is to concentrate on understanding my household’s usage and seeking to minimise where possible.

    I know Bajan’s are frightened for electricity but reading a meter is not difficult and should be perfectly safe.

  26. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    I will have more news for all concerned tomorrow…thank you David. At least we have gotten some attention and perhaps there is an explanation…whatever it is someting wrong here…

    I keep saying that apart from meter reading we have done all we can to save energy, makes no sense to give this blondie tips on that…I can read and have informed myself long ago on energy saving.

    Technology is a hell of ting…I just heard from a T&T friend that my bill is equal to his and his family for a whole year…but he did tell me that there is technology now that your meter can be tampered with by employees whose family are receiving free electricity….I pray this is just a figment of his ‘techie’ brain…and that if it is available that we in Barbados would not stoop to such low tactics….hmmmm…..I know times are hard…and Bajans learning how to “capture” electricity from the pole but tampering direct into the meter??? Wow! I do not want to believe it or even think it.

  27. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    @John
    It is like diesel and gasoline vehicles.

    Fuels are not interchangeable, at least if you don’t want to mash up your engine.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Not exactly correct. Multi-fuel engines have been in existence for decades with the military. The Bedford MK, many of which can be seen in Guyana, is one example.

  28. John Avatar
    John

    Rosemary

    My last bill was 75% fuel charge, 25% electricity.

    The question to put to your T&T friend is what is the cost of a litre/gallon of gas at the pump in Trinidad.

    Compare that with what it is here.

    If it is say 50% cheaper there than here, reduce the fuel cost on your bill by 50% and then compare bills.

    I admit that is an approximation.

    I agree with Brutus, your bill is high.

    Clothes dryers and airconditioning require alot of electricity.

    Heating water is also expensive.

    I once was called to look at high electricity usage at a house with an electrically heated outdoor jacuzzi which was uncovered!!!!!

    Please tell me you don’t have anything like that or you use a solar heat exchanger for that purpose.

    Again, if you know how to read your meter you can actually measure the consumption of major appliances around your house.

    Turn everything off and then use one appliance at a time. See how long it takes for the smallest dial to move by one. That will tell you which appliance uses the most electricity.

    Come to think of it, try turning everything off and ensure your meter is not measuring electricity!!

    If you have a meter with dials there is a disc that rotates if electricity is passing through the meter.

    It should stop once you have everything turned off.

    This test also works with the water meter to see if you have leaks. Turn everything off and make sure it is not recording water.

  29. just only asking Avatar
    just only asking

    I might soon have to go back to using a kerosene lamp, with the cost of electricity going up every time. I believe the govt should reduce the vat on the cost of electricity to 8.5% and the FTC should revisit its decision to award the company an increase. The more i install energy saving equipment the higer my bill is becoming. I give up. The other day i was roasting a bedfruit and i said to myselff that i have to keep the two bricks togehteer as i migh have to cook on wood sometimes to help to cut down on the cost of operating a house. Promise to pull out the fridge later in the year when i go on holiday and see how much the bill is going to come in for. I called the company about two wees ago to check the meter, waiting for a call from the company. In may i went over and away i pulled out everything except the the little fridge and the bill came in for the samething as if i were home using electricity. Will pull out everything NEXT TIME..
    .

    I could recall that when the BL&P had commissioned the new equipment at spring gardens it had bosted that the cost of electricy would have been cheaper and that never materialised. Why did EMra or whatever it is called paid an interest in the shares of BL&P, because it realized that the comapany is a milking cow. I would like the economist on this blog compare the ROI of light and power with similar ones in the regoin and afar and tell us their findings.

    I could not understand why jamaicans and trinidadans steal electricity, but i am now getting a clearer picture.

    Is the arrangement in place with SOL contributing to the cost of diesel and gasoline at the pump, can someone investigate?

  30. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    No matter what economies you put in place, your power bill is going to rise year on year forever, you are only shifting the inevitable to your fellows.

    It’s called capitalism, live with it.

    When the board of any company cannot report increased profits to their shareholders year after year, questions as to their ability will be asked at the AGM, threatening their golden goose positions.

    You save, switch off a puny 40w light in the vain hope you’ll see a reduction, but if carried out nationwide, BL&P in their corporate wisdom will approach the toothless lapdogs at the FTC and plead their capital expenditure is under threat due to falling revenues and a rate rise is necessary to maintain the system.

    Outcome: The consumer uses less, pays more and the utility increases the shareholder dividend year on year,guaranteed by government.

    Sweet for some, suck salt for the victims of an imposed monopoly.

  31. george Avatar
    george

    Where ae the folks that take care of consumers

  32. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Power supplied by solar panels is the way to go, however Government must provide the incentives for people to do so. The only problem is set up cost. If Government provide concessions so that people could reduce the initial cost. BL&P might think twice about their price gouging.

  33. John Avatar
    John

    just only asking

    Check how much on your bill goes to fuel and how much to electricity.

    If you are cooking using electricity, think about alternatives, bottled gas or natural gas if it is available in your area.

    If you are ok reading the meter, read it every day at the same time each day for a week to see what days are high usage in your household.

    Read it every three hours every day if you want to see what activities are consuming the most electricity on a given day … if you have the time.

    As you start to understand where the money goes in your household as far as electricity is concerned you will start to compare the individual activities that consume that money for cost vs benefit.

    For instance, I guarantee a clothes line will dry clothes as dry as any clothes dryer …. if all you want is dry clothes!!

    If you want the benfit of speed however, then use the clothes dryer and pay the cost.

    george

    The folks that take care of consumers are the consumers themselves.

  34. Rose Art Avatar
    Rose Art

    Welcome to criminal Barbados. Monopolys got us like caged rats to poked and provoked at will. This bunch want to sending to Siberia, never to return to political power.

  35. John Avatar
    John

    Caswell

    The benfit of “free” electricity has a cost.

    There is maintenance of individual solar units.

    Batteries go bad and need to be replaced …. and worse, to be disposed of.

    Remember, during the night there is no sun visible so batteries need to be charged during the day to supply the power at night.

    Wind is perhaps a better alternative because as a “fuel” it is available 24/7.

    I am quite capable of designing, building and maintaining a solar unit for my home but I would hesitate and think long and hard before I installed such a unit, either of my own design or from anyone else for those two basic reasons.

    If there was a supplier who had the technical know how and resources to keep that unit working 24 hours a day 7 days a week, maybe I might reconsider.

    At first glance, a wind farm is probably a better alternative, but that is just a spur of the moment suggestion with no rigorous thought or research invested.

    Of course if we were to find major oil under Barbados or offshore our problems would be solved!!!

    ….. don’t you believe me …. more would be created!!

    An understanding of what resources exist offshore and how to tap them safely and profitably will probably be a key to our future in the long term where energy is concerned.

    How many of our politicians (B or D, aspiring or incumbent) would you trust because of their demonstrated track record of understanding on technical matters to lead us into the future where energy is concerned?

    Most are lawyers but none seem to have thought that a change in the law was necessary for their chosen candidate to become Chief Justice, … or to open Dodds as a replacement for Glendairy.

    May God help us!!

  36. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    John
    The maintenance to the solar panels would only entail washing off bird droppings. There are no moving parts to go bad. Solar panels that are now being manufactured have a warranty of 20 years, but because they are solid state they could last much longer. You might get problems in the event of a hurricane, but that is all. In addition to the panels, you would need a simple inverter to change the current from direct current (dc) to alternating current (ac), and I agree that you would need batteries that would be charged during the days, by the solar panels, to maintain power at night.

    Tax incentives would help to lower the cost, but that is not being encouraged since the power that you obtain from the panels would not have to pass through the BL&P lines, hence no light bill.

    You then asked,
    How many of our politicians (B or D, aspiring or incumbent) would you trust because of their demonstrated track record of understanding on technical matters to lead us into the future where energy is concerned?

    For that answer, you would have to give me some time to think: right now I don’t think that they are any that I would trust to cut my toenails.

  37. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    @John….if you read my comments you will see that our continue efforts to save energy has only done one thing – increased our electric bill to exorbitant proportions. And no, we do not have electric heaters…we have solar. And yes, we did all those tests of turning on and off various things for the electrician who came to the house yesterday and NOTHING was pulling excessively – NOTHING!! @Just only asking. I know your pain ’cause when I used to travel our bill nevah did a dip…sometimes I would be away for a whole month!

    I will be discussing all of the above with Light & Power today…if anyone has questions you wished answered, please let me have them by 9 a.m. I am not going to just deal with my bill and my concerns…I am one of those who deals with all concerns…I started the ball rolling with my letter on Facebook and I do not stop until real answers that satisfy give all the peace we deserve. And yes! I understand monopoly, I understand shareholders wanting returns – I do not understand greed particularly at a time like this when we should be helping our fellow man to stay upright in whatever way we can, so we may all pull through these difficult times. The profits being made by Barbados Light & Power in these hard time are excessive and certainly a slap in the face of every Barbadian when they are published for all of us who cannot afford to pay our monthly bills far less buy shares in that obviously dream of a company to invest in! Bless.

  38. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    Don’t you just love people who can think outside the box.
    http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/alternative-energy/solar-roadways-replacement-for-costly-asphalt.html

  39. David Avatar
    David

    @Rosemary

    Good Luck this morning!

  40. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    Thank you David….Barbados Underground has made it possible that at least we will be heard….we shall see if we get some positive results…

  41. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    @Straight talk…I will bring this up. No reason really why a small island like Barbados could not be the first to have this! What a wow! Thank you for posting. We could make the world really look at us. Wonder if Light & Power would do this with all the profits they make, so that our people and our island can benefit….!! 🙂 🙂

  42. Wake up! Avatar
    Wake up!

    Light and Power (BL&P) have found a way to print money, and the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) obviously did not have the brains or expertise to work it out. What they (BL&P) do is take your peak usage from one month and apply that to a massively expanded rate the following month. You can mitigate against this by ensuring that you do not have too many appliances working at any one instant in time. Refrigerators we know, have to be plugged-in all the time, but if you use a washing machine or worse, a dryer at the same time as another high electricity guzzler such as an air conditioner, this will affect your following month’s bill drastically. Try and pace your use of high electricity-using appliances so that they are not all working together. High users of electricity are: washing machines, dryers, water pumps, air conditioners. Also, many security lights have 150 watt bulbs, which can be replaced adequately by much smaller energy-efficient bulbs. Flat screen TV’s are also high users. How many of us leave them on when not watching? The BL&P tariff is almost criminal in its application, so try and mitigate against it until something is done about it, if ever.

  43. John Avatar
    John

    Caswel

    For that answer, you would have to give me some time to think: right now I don’t think that they are any that I would trust to cut my toenails.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Please don’t go to any unnecessary bother, the question was rhetorical.

    … but I can see from your initial thoughts you know that!!!

    A simple inverter has in electronic parts which can go bad.

    It isn’t only mechanical parts that fail.

    I would consider a solar electric power unit to supply a small part of the electrical demand (almost definitely my fridge) in my house on a day to day basis but would consider it essential in case of a protracted power outage to keep the fridge running.

    I would start small and see how dependable the technology is and what sort of battery life can be expected. Technology will improve in time.

    In my car I know that two years is the most I can expect. It is amazing how dependable that figure is. Somehow the battery always dies two years after purchase ….. the failure is totally reliable.

    I would choose solar power over a generator because it makes no noise and in the event of a hurricane/storm/bad weather and ensuing power outage I would not want to attract trouble given the noise a generator makes.

    Along with the solar power unit would come the necessary change over switch to enable me to use either power from the solar unit or the national grid.

    Depending on how fancy that is there are more parts to fail.

  44. John Avatar
    John

    Rosemary Parkinson | July 11, 2011 at 5:50 AM | @John….if you read my comments you will see that our continue efforts to save energy has only done one thing – increased our electric bill to exorbitant proportions. And no, we do not have electric heaters…we have solar. And yes, we did all those tests of turning on and off various things for the electrician who came to the house yesterday and NOTHING was pulling excessively – NOTHING!!
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Now you have to introduce the time element.

    Do you hear the fridge cutting in and out as it runs?

    If you have ac, are the rooms it services well sealed?

    Do you hear the compressors cutting in or out?

    If the control of these major appliances is not working your bill will be high because they do not know to shut off when the temperature set is reached.

    The test is as I said, over time.

    The electrician looking at an instant in time will not help unless he/she has taken the time to ensure the major appliances are working as they should.

    Ensure you know what to listen for.

    … and if your consumption is estimated, it won’t matter if you are away for three months. You will get the same bill, depending on the fuel charge for that month.

    Light and Power will not read our meter and will bill you according to the estimate it has of your consumption.

    You have the power (!!) to correct it if you find it is too high.

    You do not have to wait for them to come and read your meter.

  45. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    @John…yes! We have already done the listening for cutting out when temperatures have reached their goal….and yes all is well in that area too.
    How can it be that when I go away for three months that my electric bill would be the same…that is crazy…and why should I be paying fuel charge when I am not using any fuel (well certainly not much…enough for one security light outside???) Dear God!

  46. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    @Wake up!

    How exactly does BL&P measure peak usage of a residential consumer? How does using more than one appliance at the same time affect the kWh’s recorded on your monthly bill?

    If for the interim bill in one month, BL&P’s estimate is too high (based as you say on peak usage), wouldn’t your bill for the next month be lower if they come and read the meter? If the fuel charge has increased in that month isn’t it possible that the consumer might pay less overall than if BL&P had read the meter in both months?

    Or are you saying that even the actual meter readings are too high?

  47. Rosemary Parkinson Avatar
    Rosemary Parkinson

    More comments from others:

    Bajan artist:This electricity and costs has gotten ridiculous.
    I would also like to know why we are having these constant outages ( again yesterday) which are playing havoc with equipment. The outages almost add insult to injury when we are suddenly paying so much more.

    Bajan employee: Ask them WHY their ‘period of usage’ differs so greatly – like the time the ‘fuel adjustment’ is at its highest….they wait the longest to read the meter!!! Therefore when your bill comes…..call Sandy Crest! They need to be WAY more customer friendly!!! Also…they have some policy where if your bill exceeds a certain amount of $$$, you will be automatically changed to a ‘commercial customer’ and billed at higher rates! Well….fuel charges have gone UP, which would automatically raise your bill, even with less usage. Have they raised the ‘threshhold’ to reflect this? THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY FAIR!!! I must say how much I admire you Rosemary for taking the David and Goliath stance……I sincerely hope you can get PERSONAL RELIEF from this iniquitous situation!!!! All the best!!! ♥

    Friend employed in tourism: Somebody just posted on why they think the interim bills are estimated on the low side. Because BL& P can only gain when the meter is actually read since fuel charges go up all the time and it will mean more revenue to BL&P….

  48. A-Fish Avatar
    A-Fish

    This is what happens if you sell the shares cheaply to an overseas company that has a record of high-electric price rates in their own country. That should [b]never[/b] been sold to EMERA. What makes it worse it’s a monopoly (the only Electric power plant in Barbados) and they (like C&W/LIME) will be charging loads of money.

    No matter how hard you tried to conserve electricity, your bills will still be worse like you’re giving stimulus package to the BL&P. What are we getting in return from BL&P?

    @Hants
    No matter how hard you tried to conserve your electricity the costs multiplier goes up and our electric bills emptying out our wallets. Me and my mother are thinking about purchasing a diesel powered generator and getaway from Light and Power company’s expense route.

  49. Orville Avatar
    Orville

    Reply to John | July 11, 2011 at 12:28 AM |
    >>If there was a supplier who had the technical know how and resources to keep that unit working 24 hours a day 7 days a week, maybe I might reconsider.

    Try local company Green Technologies, Inc., greetechno@gmail.com 829-8039

  50. John Avatar
    John

    Rosemary

    @John…yes! We have already done the listening for cutting out when temperatures have reached their goal….and yes all is well in that area too.
    How can it be that when I go away for three months that my electric bill would be the same…that is crazy…and why should I be paying fuel charge when I am not using any fuel (well certainly not much…enough for one security light outside???) Dear God!
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    If yor bill is estimated it does not matter if you are at home or in Timbuktu.

    BL&P will charge you for the same number of KWh it has as your estimate.

    In $ terms it could be more or less depending on the fuel charge.

    In 2000, Jan to February my household consumed 688 KWh.

    I paid 9.6968 cents per KwH for the fuel charge and my total bill was $202.56.

    It was an estimate.

    In March that year when my meter was read, the consumption was found to be 414KWh for the previous month.

    Fast forward to 2011, March to April.

    My household’s estimated consumption was 308 KWh.

    I paid instead of 9.6968 cents per kilowatt hour as the fuel adjustment 45.3897 cents per Kilowatt hour.

    My bill was $228.04 although my household was consuming about less than half of what it consumed in 2000.

    I believe I can get the consumption down by another 15% but as you can see, I will not alter what I pay in utility bills if the fuel charge goes up!!!

    I have to consider whether there is a justification for the increased fuel charge before I start blaming BL&P.

    Everything I hear independently of BL&P leads me to believe the price of oil has gone up.

    Can I justify the fivefold increase I have experienced with a fivefold increase in oil I hear of?

    I probably can.

    So what I am left with is to keep trying to minimise my household’s consumption by any means I can …… legally please!!

    If the cost goes too high I will look hard at alternative sources of energy.

    Did you know that the water your household consumes has potential energy in it which in theory can be converted to electricity?

    All the bits necessary to make the conversion are available off the shelf. Kind of like a mini hydro electric generator.

    You still end up with batteries and an inverter and the converter will be mechanical.

    I’ll run some numbers and see if it is worthwhile!!

    I expect pretty soon water rates will rise.

    We get water through electricity.

    I’ll run some numbers and see if I can estimate what it costs BWA in electricity to deliver water to a household of say 4 persons compared with what that household pays.

    My feeling is that the GOB subsidises the water consumer heavily.

    I pay about $30.00 per month which is ridiculously low for the utility I get from water.

    I figure it is just a matter of time.

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