Energy concerns dominate debate

Thursday 08 September 2022

Guernsey Electricity's 2021 accounts have been passed but some States Members used the opportunity to raise their concerns about the rising costs of energy and the security of our supplies.

The 2021 accounts were approved by 33 votes, one against with four abstentions during a testing time for all involved as the new electronic voting system was used for the first time.

The system failed completely the first time it was used. 

Pictured: The States new electronic voting system failed at the first attempt.

Deputy Lyndron Trott queried the way executive members of staff remuneration is set, which Deputy David De Lisle expanded on. 

He called for much more "detailed transparency and openness" about how the scale of fees are determined after reading that Directors fees were over £1million in 2021 and £1.5m in 2020. 

"I share the publics concerns over this," he said. "With the rising cost of living, islanders will have to tighten their belts and will expect others to do the same, and question how a company which has failed to keep up with the structural integrity of its assets and has gone cap in hand to the states for more capital has the audactity to pat itself on the back and give senior management inflated bonuses with no indication to the public of targets to be met or measures of success within the company."

He raised further concerns about the increasing cost of electricity for all residents described it as a "whopping" rise.

"On top of this they have reached an agreement with Deputy Roffey and his STSB, the decision to add to the already rising cost of living by raising the tariffs for electricity for consumers by a whopping 9%.

"I ask  - where is the duty of care to the people of Guernsey by a monopoly dictating the strategy for an easy life?"

Pictured: Deputy David De Lisle has criticised Guernsey Electricity and raised concerns about its tariffs and fees.

These concerns were echoed by other States Members, asking how Guernsey Electricity will keep on top of rising prices with wholesale costs increasing globally.

Deputy Lester Queripel was one questioning the source of our power.

"We should be doing our utmost to be as self sufficient as possible. We rely too much on other jurisdictions for our very survival and we really do need to correct that," he urged.

Deputy Aiden Matthews urged caution, warning that some island residents might think we are protected from the worst price rises because our energy comes through France.

He compared it to fortune telling with tea leaves but he asked for "anything we can have which would indicate what might happen would be useful".