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Stop complaining; turn off appliances & get solar panels- Sam Henry

- Contends that fuel surcharge prices would not be decreased in the near future on electricity bills
Contending that fuel surcharge prices would not be decreased in the near future on electricity bills, Talk Show host Julio Sam Henry has advised that residents resort to ‘extreme measures’ in trying to improve their circumstances with regard to electricity bills. Photo: VINO
Electricity bills are going to continue to get higher, I don’t think it’s going to get any cheaper, Henry said. Photo: VINO/File
Electricity bills are going to continue to get higher, I don’t think it’s going to get any cheaper, Henry said. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Contending that fuel surcharge prices would not be decreased in the near future on electricity bills, talk show host Julio S. Henry has advised that residents resort to ‘extreme measures’ in trying to improve their circumstances with regard to high electricity bills.

“Electricity bills are going to continue to get higher, I don’t think it’s going to get any cheaper,” Henry said on the Speak Your Mind Show aired on September 7, 2013.

The host said if attention was paid every two years to the bids issued for contract for the supply of fuel to the power plant, it would be noted that the bid prices continue to rise.

“Just imagine, nothing major happened in the world, you’re buying from the same suppliers and you’re getting a higher cost for shipping,” he stated.

Henry said the question of why this is continuing to happen should be asked and stated that the next contract issued will also be higher. “That means, [with] the fuel surcharge, you will get stuck with a higher bill,” he said.

According to the host, rather than sitting around complaining and in an effort to force the government’s hand, residents should buy solar panels that are big enough to supply electricity to their homes once they can afford it.

“If a lot of us do that tomorrow, the government would recognise there are alternatives and we will get changes. You have to be proactive, if you don’t take a stand and you continue to say ‘I can’t, I can’t, I can’t’ then you will always be in the situation you’re in,” he advised.

Henry said he knew of homeowners around the Virgin Islands who were already utilising this measure and were saving money.

He advised that residents unplug their refrigerators and other electrical items that were not being used around the home during the day.

“I know it sounds kind of crazy, but if you keep your ice box closed for eight hours, the temperature is maintained to a certain level, your product is safe. At the end of the day when you come home your meter runs slower and it means you’re burning less electricity.”

“Sometimes we have to resort to some extreme measures and maybe that’s where we’re at right now, maybe that’s where we’re heading…” he said.

18 Responses to “Stop complaining; turn off appliances & get solar panels- Sam Henry”

  • Hmmm* (10/09/2013, 08:50) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    Right now as the legislation provides B.V.I electricity to rob us blind, not even solar panels can save us....do you know that you're required by law to have a B.V.I electricity meter on every home being developed? Fairly common knowledge n doesn't sound too bad does it? But then when you understand that whether your meter runs backward (meaning your solar panel, generators...etc are providing power, not BVI electricity) THEY STILL CHARGE YOU!!! That's the way our law here is written! Right there in the USVI if you have a solar panel or some other green energy system creating a surplus (meaning your meter is spinning backward and your surplus is being fed back to the grid) you are actually credited meaning, your system is providing your home with power hence you have no WAPA bill, heck they might have to pay you that month....

    Here we have legalized THEFT, they are allowed to charge us for power we are creating for ourselves! So during those power outages when your big nice generator cuts in automatically and you think your BVI electricity bill will reflect that...THINK AGAIN! You have to pay for your generator, the gas you put in it aannnddd BVI electricity is till charging you even though their power is off and your meter is running backward....Yup you heard it here friends...THEFT is a BVI tradition!!!
  • Politics (10/09/2013, 08:53) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr Henry are you aware of B.V.I legislation that prohibits homes from using any source other than B.V.I electricity corp as a main source of power?
  • True (10/09/2013, 09:19) Like (2) Dislike (25) Reply
    Mr Henry do you realize the cost to set up solar power for an average home. Let me help you its in the region of $100,000.00 by the time its set up, its not just a few panels on the roof its battery banks and transfer switches. You need to keep driving at something but not solar power!
    • Hmmm* (10/09/2013, 11:04) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      That's is an inaccurate assessment of the true cost. the fact is, there is some money involved...but it wont cost the same as building a small home...the cost is directly related to your energy consumption needs and if incorporated into the initial mortgage for new home builders it will be quite affordable when you figure in the idea of NEVER HAVING TO PAY FOR ELECTRICITY AGAIN!!...But the laws need to be looked at, no matter what you do B.V.I electricity is like a leach on your back draining your pockets, they have a monopoly and the legal means to rob us, no guns or masks needed!!
      • True (10/09/2013, 14:19) Like (0) Dislike (10) Reply
        so you want to add say half of what I suggested for a small house $50,000.00 to your mortgage for 20 years so in the end you will be paying an extra roughly $385.00 a month for 20 years = $92,400.00 so please tell me again why my figure is so far of the mark or do they not teach economics at Hmmm*
        Also when did you last try to build a small house for $100,000.00 in the BVI a toilet block costs as much as that!
        • Hmmm* (10/09/2013, 16:11) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
          Again you're speaking about the biggest and best including professionally contracted installation by an overseas entity when you're talking about spending 50K....Price mart on St. Thomas sold solar panels at one point for 179.00 each. If you have a commercial building you may need 100 of those models, a small home may only need 25- 50 which would be in the 4000 - 8000 dollar range, batteries another 3000 - 5000 and a good inverter 1500 -3000 and this all depends on the size of your home n energy consumption needs (So it could be less in some cases).....Though all this is irrelevant because BVI electricity will still charge you for the solar power your generating...which is the real issue here...about the economics, where there's a will there's a way...I know people with jewelry that amounts to more than the entire system I just described which is between 10-14 grand...not 50 - 100!
          • True (10/09/2013, 18:30) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
            You are living in a dream world. I have searched and researched solar panels for my home in the BVI for over a year now and no system comes close to generating the required 8.5kw for under $78,000.00 and thats before import tax. The way forward which Mr Henry and you have missed is Wind Power which does have the cost of batteries and transfer switch but cost far less than the panels which you mentioned in K-mart which don't produce enough power. This is the reality and not some figures just pulled out of a hat which the statements on here seem to be.
            The BVIEC doesn't have to be your main source of power they only have to be"THE ONLY CONSTANT SOURCE" so as long as you switch off for 30 minutes a day then everything is okay. They don't let you tie to the grid and give them power...
            • Paradox (11/09/2013, 09:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
              "THE ONLY CONSTANT SOURCE" or main source, practically the same dam thing. whats your argument?
              • True (11/09/2013, 15:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
                I will make it easy for you,

                A drop of water is constant into your home, this can be the BVIEC
                A hose pipe of water comes into your home and you use it as your main source of water.

                Constant and Main are two completely different things.
  • ta ta (10/09/2013, 09:19) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    the country is crying out for leadership.
  • Hmmmm (10/09/2013, 09:21) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Sam, you are 10000% right! The first appliance I will turn off is my TV and cable box so I am no longer bombarded with this inane diatribe
  • change (10/09/2013, 09:25) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    the BVI is no longer the place to live, do business, and raise a family.
  • . (10/09/2013, 11:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Don't encourage them to break the law sam.
  • Modernise (10/09/2013, 14:05) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    The grid system needs to modernise, so that when legislation changes in favour of private solar production, feeder tarifs can be used.
    Excess solar power can then be sold back into the grid, without that current excuse from BVI Electricity board that it would be dangerous to connect private systems to the grid.
    Feeder tarif solar systems are common in other countries. Modernise and let us share the benefits.
  • Scientist (10/09/2013, 18:46) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Solar energy is a very sensible idea. Besides the issue of having to be on the grid (BVIEC), the other problem is that importation tariff's for this technology are in the 25% range.
  • shelia (11/09/2013, 06:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    No problem sam, you're just showing that you are not a fake
  • electric man (12/09/2013, 08:54) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Henry my friend.... Please think before you talk.


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