Electricity Bills Set to Rise in October as APUA Raises Fuel Charge

Households across Antigua and Barbuda will see higher electricity costs in October following an increase in the fuel variation rate applied by the Antigua Public Utilities Authority. The rate will move from 80 cents to 88 cents per kilowatt-hour, an increase of eight cents for every unit of electricity consumed. For a household consuming 300 kilowatt-hours, the change translates to approximately EC$24 more in fuel charges. The fuel portion of the bill at that consumption level would increase from EC$240 to EC$264, before other electricity charges are included. The additional cost will vary depending on how much electricity a customer uses. At 200 kilowatt-hours, the increase would be approximately EC$16, while consumption of 500 kilowatt-hours would result in roughly EC$40 in additional fuel charges. October's adjustment also marks the first change in several months. The fuel variation rate had remained at 80 cents per kilowatt-hour for three consecutive months before the latest increase. The fuel variation charge is used to account for changes in the cost of fuel required to generate electricity and forms one component of customers' monthly electricity bills. The higher rate comes at a time when consumers are also dealing with increased costs in other areas of household spending, including transportation and food.