Barbados Light & Company Limited (BL&P) wants an ease.
It is seeking a regulatory exemption from penalties, payment of customer compensation, or other sanctions which may result from the Hurricane Berylrelated disruption of electricity service that left 35 000 customers without power and the BL& P call centre receiving 15 000 daily calls during the restoration period.
The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) announced in a January 17 notice from its general counsel and secretary Kevin Webster that via an August 21, 2024 application, BL& P was requesting a force majeure (unforeseen circumstances) exemption for specified standards of service under the commission’s decision on BL& P standards of service for the 2023 to 2025 period.
The FTC has informed anyone who wants to comment that they have until January 31 to make written submissions.
BL& P wants the force majeure exemption to be applicable to the July 1 to 14, 2024 period in relation to customer compensation for guaranteed standards of service targets for GES1: fault repair (customer’s service); GES2: fault repair (distribution system); GES3: voltage complaints; and GES6: connect or transfer of service.
Compensation for customers is usually $45 (domestic), $90 general service, and $215 (secondary voltage power/large power) for each of these guaranteed service standards as a credit on customer bill.
The company also wants an exemption under the overall standards of service targets for OES5: call centre answering. There is no compensation attached to the fulfilment of this service standard.
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