BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CUSTOMERS of the SKLEC (St. Kitts Electricity Company Ltd) can expect an increase in their bill, as the company has announced that it is now passing on the Customs Service Charge (CSC), which it has to pay on fuel, to its consumers.
Via a press release, SKLEC explained that having been corporatised on August 1, 2011 it has since been paying the CSC on fuel purchased and, effective from the same date this year, that charge would now have to be paid by consumers.
“From inception SKELEC has been charged with Custom Service Charge (CSC) on fuel purchased. However, this charged was not passed on to the Consumer during the period 1 August 2011 to 31 July 2012.
“Effective August 1st 2012, SKELEC will be passing on this cost to Consumers as part of the Fuel Variation Charge.”
Speaking with SKNVibes, SKLEC’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Gawain Fraites explained that the company purchases fuel under the Petro Caribe agreement and is not charged customs duty, but a CSC is applicable.
“When SKLEC purchases diesel, there is a Customs Service Charge that is added to the diesel. That CSC will be transferred to the customers.”
Fraites explained that with the CSC now being passed down to the consumer, it would be included in the fuel surcharge line on their bill.
“There is not going to be an extra line on the bill which would state the Custom Service Charge but it will be included in the Fuel Surcharge calculation. I cannot say what sort of increase we are looking at because it is not fixed.
“SKELEC will try to continue to improve its efficiency and look at other ways to reduce the cost of its service to all Consumers.”
