Kralendijk, June 24th, 2022 – The variable electricity rates will be increased by USD 0.0993 per kWh as of July 1st, 2022. This is the result of increased fuel costs due to the war in Ukraine. This increase applies to the variable usage rate and to the rate for Pagabon.
The fuel costs incurred by Contour Global Bonaire for the production of electricity are passed on 1 on 1 to WEB’s customers without a margin. The purchase price for this fuel has risen by 60 percent compared to the rate as of January 1st , 2022. This is the direct result of the war, the sanctions and the unrest and scarcity in the markets this has caused.
To protect customers, these rates are set by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) on the basis of the BES Electricity and Drinking Water Act. Cost developments can lead to a variable electricity usage rate adjusted by ACM twice a year, namely on July 1st and January 1st. ACM has developed a model for these adjustments, as result of which – an increase of USD 0.0993 per kWh as of July 1st, 2022 – has been determined on June 9th , 2022.
Based on this, the following new variable electricity rates will apply as of July 1st 2022:
Variable usage rate (post-paid): USD 0.4253 per kWh
Tariff Pagabon (pre-paid) : USD 0.5001 per kWh.
The rate change will be visible on the invoices from the consumption period with a consumption start date in July. For pre-paid users (Pagabon), the adjusted rate is immediately visible from July 1st 2022.
WEB Bonaire is aware of the fact that this is a very significant increase and that this can have major consequences for the disposable income of its customers (and the additional costs for the companies). The Public Entity Bonaire (“OLB”) has received a commitment from the Central Government for a form of energy surcharge for certain eligible households. The implementation of this is currently being worked out in consultation between the OLB and WEB Bonaire.
For the majority of customers, there will be no compensation for this increase, but WEB and the OLB will continue to commit themselves to the sustainability project, combined with a reduction in rates. The OLB and WEB Bonaire advise customers to use this expensive electricity as consciously as possible and point out the savings tips as published on its website (https://www.webbonaire.com/kennisbank/).
In order to structurally bring the rate to a lower and more affordable level, WEB Bonaire, in collaboration with Contour Global Bonaire, has developed a plan based on as much sustainable electricity as possible (solar, wind and batteries) and consultations have been taking place with the relevant Ministries about subsidizing this plan. It is expected that a decision will be made about this subsidy in the short term and the plan will be implemented. Incidentally, this will no longer have any effect on the rate for the second half of 2022.
