Emergency action over Sark power crisis

Wednesday 07 October 2020

Sark's Government is rushing to provide emergency generators and cabling for 19 Sark households who will be disconnected from the grid this morning.

There has been confirmation this week that the homes will have their electricity supply switched off today. It follows a tenement owner's successful court order requiring the removal of Sark Electricity's equipment from his land.

Once the homes are disconnected, Sark's Medical & Emergency Committee will put a contingency plan in place, using generators and cabling to provide electricity. 

There will however be a period of complete disconnection from power, which the committee is working to keeping as short as possible. 

In a scathing statement against Sark's Government, SEL Managing Director Alan Jackson said that "residents should ensure they do not upset their landlords as feudalism is alive and well on Sark."

In June, Sebastian Moerman made a request to have SEL equipment removed from his tenement, which instigated a lengthy row between Mr Jackson, Price Control Commissioner Anthony White and Sark’s Chief Pleas.

In Mr Jackson’s view, the Policy and Finance Committee, who are supposed to have drafted legislation to prevent situations like this, are to blame.

A last-minute proposal was apparently made by the Seignuer to have some homes reconnected via his own land, however SEL was unable to confirm that the land was owned by him. Other residents have been contacted for permission for works to be done on their land, but Mr Jackson says only two have agreed.

He added that SEL has been "fundamentally undermined" by allowing Mr Moerman to set this legal precedent, and the "piecemeal" approach of coming to individual agreements with each landowner does not help the SEL customers that are affected by the situation.

However, Chief Pleas claims Mr Jackson was offered an "alternative solution" that would have avoided this crisis from reaching a head. 

Pictured: Chief Pleas said Mr Jackson's actions were "disappointing".

"In September, after a site meeting with the Douzaine Committee, Mr Jackson received permission to excavate Le Fort road to lay new cabling, and to re-site the transformer serving the nineteen properties. This permission did not and could not include the granting of wayleaves as these are under the control of landowners.

"To date, Mr Jackson has not taken advantage of that permission, and is instead demanding wayleave rights over the entire grid, whether vested in the Seigneur, private landowners or corporate landowners."

Once the homes are disconnected, the Medical & Emergency Committee will put a contingency plan in place, which will use generators and cabling to provide a continued electricity supply.

"On 3 September, Mr Jackson informed the affected households that he would be sourcing generators to supply all affected properties," the spokesperson added. "He has not done so and has said that he expects Chief Pleas to provide a supply to the disconnected properties.

"The contingency plan provides for continuity of supply thereby ensuring that no one is without power for any substantial time."