Lead Editor-Politics
akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt
Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) general manager Ian Ramrattan is assuring customers that there has been no increase in residential electricity rates, as mounting complaints emerge from citizens reporting significant increases in their electricity bills.
Ramrattan says the higher bills are largely being driven by increased electricity consumption, particularly the use of air-conditioning units during the recent spell of unusually hot weather, which contributed to T&TEC recording its highest-ever peak electricity demand of approximately 1,487 megawatts on September 6.
His explanation comes amid growing concerns from customers who have taken to social media to question why their bills have increased so dramatically in recent months.
Some customers have reported that their electricity bills have almost doubled, with one on social media claiming an increase from $800 to $1,300 per billing cycle.
Another reported a jump from $170 to $473, while other customers complained about increases from $600 to $1,000 and from $500 to $912.
In one particularly concerning case, a customer reported receiving a bill of approximately $2,400, compared to a usual bill of around $700.
However, speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, Ramrattan dismissed speculation that T&TEC had quietly increased electricity rates.
“For the residential customers, there have been no increases in the rates since September 2009,” he insisted.
He said the increases being experienced by some customers were directly linked to the amount of electricity being consumed.
“It is purely a consumption issue,” Ramrattan maintained.
He explained that while customers may believe they are operating their air-conditioning units for the same number of hours each day, the electricity consumed can increase significantly during hotter weather.
Ramrattan said the compressor, which accounts for much of an air-conditioning unit’s electricity consumption, must operate for longer periods when temperatures rise.
He explained that an air-conditioning unit operating for eight hours on a relatively cool day may only have its compressor running for approximately four hours.
However, during particularly hot weather, that same compressor could operate for six or seven hours, resulting in substantially higher electricity consumption despite no change in the customer’s usage habits.
Ramrattan said the record electricity demand observed on September 6 was driven by a combination of increased usage among existing customers and additional customers being connected to the national grid.
“We have, incidentally, achieved our highest peak demand since inception on the 6th of September this year,” he said.
He acknowledged that T&TEC had observed some increases in customers’ electricity consumption but said the general pattern did not reflect the dramatic jumps being reported in some individual cases.
Ramrattan also confirmed that the Government’s proposed electricity surcharge has not yet taken effect.
The surcharge of five cents per kilowatt-hour is scheduled to come into effect in January 2027 and will apply to residential customers consuming more than 3,000 kilowatt-hours during a two-month billing cycle.
He stressed that the surcharge could therefore not explain the increases customers are currently experiencing.
Meanwhile, Ramrattan is encouraging citizens to download T&TEC’s mobile application to better monitor their electricity consumption and avoid unexpected increases in their bills.
He explained that the application allows customers to track their daily electricity usage, review consumption patterns and establish alerts when their electricity consumption approaches a predetermined threshold.
For example, customers who typically consume 1,200 kilowatt-hours during a billing cycle can configure an alert when their consumption reaches 1,000 kilowatt-hours.
“I really strongly recommend that customers download the app,” he said, adding that T&TEC intends to undertake a more aggressive campaign to promote its use.
Ramrattan also encouraged customers to practise electricity conservation by switching off lights and air-conditioning units when not in use and adjusting thermostats to comfortable temperatures.
He assured customers that despite the record demand, the country currently has sufficient electricity generation capacity to meet consumption requirements without interruptions.
