This document sets out the Fair Trading Commission’s “Commission” determination and rationale for the continuance of standards of service for the Barbados Light & Power Company Limited “BL&P”

The Utilities Regulation Act, CAP. 282 (URA) provides for the Commission to determine standards of service for regulated utility companies. In discharging this responsibility the Commission issued a consultation paper as mandated by the Fair Trading Commission Act, CAP. 326B (FTCA). The Consultation Paper on the Review of the Standards of Service for the Barbados Light & Power Company Limited was issued on October 29, 2008.

The purpose of a standards programme is to ensure that a minimum quality of service is maintained, provide incentives for improvement, create conditions for customer satisfaction, monitor service quality and generally protect the interest of electricity users.

The Guaranteed Standards of Service require that the BL&P make a compensatory payment to each individual customer who is affected by its failure to meet the defined target for the relevant standard.

Overall Standards of Service are designed to reflect the general performance of the BL&P on an island-wide basis and are not defined by the service which an individual customer receives. There is no compensation to customers for failure to meet overall standards; however the Commission has the power to impose penalties where it is apparent that the BL&P has continuously neglected to solve a given breach.

The standards also include details of exemptions. Exemptions refer to situations where the Commission considers that failure to meet the standards is outside the control of the BL&P.

Service providers, representatives of consumer interest groups and other interested parties were invited to comment on the paper. The consultation period concluded on November 28, 2008. Two written responses were received; these were from the BL&P and a consumer, Ms. Anieta Banton.

Having considered the data from the BL&P’s Standards of Service reports over the period 2006 to the present, and the responses received and having held discussions with the BL&P, the Commission hereby sets out its determination on the review of the standards of service for the BL&P, the sole entity responsible for generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Barbados.

These revised standards of service will be applicable from April 1st 2010.

Decision