‘We sit at midnight to save cash on electrical energy in Guernsey’ | EUROtoday

More than 100 protestors have demonstrated outdoors the pinnacle workplace of Guernsey Electricity Limited (GEL) againstabove-inflation value rises.

The island’s government-owned electrical energy firm is elevating its costs from the beginning of July, with some clients now paying greater than they’d within the UK.

Pensioner Katina Jones, 70, stated she already sat “in the dark” with the lights out to save cash on her invoice and solely used electrical energy in off-peak hours, when “it’s cheap electric – otherwise we can’t afford it”.

A GEL spokesperson stated the utility “absolutely understands the strength of feeling amongst some islanders” and the “impact on customers already struggling with the cost of living”.

The firm, which is the island’s solely electrical energy supplier, stated it had “worked hard to keep this year’s electricity tariff increase as low as possible”.

Mrs Jones stated: “I live in an area where there are lots of elderly people.”

She stated lots of her pals “stay in bed all day or with a blanket over them because they can’t afford their heating on”.

“That’s just not on,” she added.

Jayne Lesbirel, 65, retired lately however used to work for GEL’s predecessor, the States Electricity Board, doing information enter.

She stated: “We’re on a pension, so we have to budget quite strictly.

“And we additionally take care of our grandchildren, so we’re at residence much more than we have been earlier than after we have been working.

“In the winter months, we can’t say: ‘Oh no. Sorry, we can’t afford to put the heating on for you, so you’ll have to go cold.'”

She stated she felt the explanations Guernsey Electricity gave for the worth rises, reminiscent of historic underinvestment, have been “just an excuse”.

“It’s because they have a monopoly,” she stated.

Mandy Moriarty, 68, stated it was unfair that the standing cost – which is rising to greater than £85 – was the identical for everybody no matter how large their residence was.

She stated: “You can’t cut down on that. I think the fairer way would be to put a little bit more on the units that you use.”

“I live in a very old Guernsey cottage, which is stone and it’s freezing in there in the winter, and I only run one radiator.”

She stated she feared that, if costs rose on the identical fee in future, she must flip the heating off altogether, including: “Then you get damp, so that’s not the answer.”

“You shouldn’t be sitting there freezing cold in this day and age because of greed.”

GEL determined a couple of years in the past to alter the way in which its tariffs have been structured, so individuals paid a better mounted value, often known as the standing cost.

It rose greater than 380% between 2021 and July 2025 – from slightly below £18 to £86.75 1 / 4.

That is sort of £40 1 / 4 dearer than the best standing cost allowed on the British mainland.

So, why is it rising?

Before 2022, GEL stated 96% of its revenue got here from charging individuals for utilizing electrical energy – the unit cost.

However, as extra individuals set up renewable vitality – reminiscent of photo voltaic panels – of their houses, this may imply the sum of money the corporate made dropped.

This, in flip, has meant growing the costs for individuals with out renewables, so it may afford “the fixed costs of maintaining and upgrading the electricity network”, the corporate stated.

A GEL spokesperson instructed the BBC the corporate deliberate to evaluation the way it charged for electrical energy to make it “sustainable” – together with for patrons “who place a lower strain on the island’s electricity network”.

They stated “there will not be further large standing charge increases” till the evaluation had been accomplished.

Protest organiser Myles Duquemin stated it was unfair the elevated standing cost was “the same whether you’re in a five-bedroom mansion or live in a one-bedroom flat”.

“Electricity is not a luxury, it’s a basic human right,” he stated.

He added he hoped “the rates come down and it’s reviewed by the new deputies”.

Mr Duquemin stated he had acquired many messages thanking him for organising the protest.

He stated many have been from most cancers suffers and survivors, in addition to pensioners, including: “They either couldn’t speak up or felt too afraid to.”

GEL stated it revered “our customers’ right to raise their concerns and to attend the protest”.

A spokesperson for the corporate thanked Mr Duquemin for “his commitment to ensure the safety and security of our staff and premises on the day”.

The firm took the choice to shut its retail store at its St Sampson headquarters on Saturday, because the protest was resulting from start outdoors it.

GEL stated: “Where a customer is concerned about their electricity bill, our advice is always to contact us as soon as possible if they are worried about falling into difficulty.”

“We also share information on our website about our tariffs, the reasons for recent increases, how we spend revenue and ways which consumers can save money on their bills.”