Guernsey Press

Power to be cut from homes in Sark as legal dispute comes to a head

MAINS power will be cut from 19 homes in Sark from Monday as a legal dispute escalates.

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Sark Electricity has written to customers saying that since June Sebastien Moerman has been instructing the company to disconnect the supply to all properties in La Tour tenement and to remove all cabling and ancillary equipment.

'I have strongly resisted what I believe to be an entirely unreasonable request; reaching out to Chief Pleas, The Seigneur and Guernsey's Government House and the Crown for support in protecting the rights of islanders and securing the supply of electricity,' said SEL director Alan Jackson.

He has been told that Policy & Finance considers it a private issue.

There is no law in Sark that mirrors Guernsey and other jurisdictions giving the electricity company rights to maintain the grid with cables across private land, although there were instructions to draw one up.

'SEL has now received a summons requiring that we remove the equipment forthwith on a combination of trespass and 'nuisance' grounds and health and safety concerns.'

SEL, under the price control order from November, is unable to recover legal costs exceeding £15,000 in any financial year.

The Price Commissioner would not approve of litigation, Mr Jackson wrote.

The commissioner has told the company to negotiate a feed-in tariff with Mr Moerman to resolve the issue.

Mr Jackson warned that if the company was forced to negotiate wayleaves with all tenement and freehold owners to secure the underlying grid it would mean 84 separate contractual negotiations at around £175,000 in legal costs, assuming all agreed and did not demand much money in return.

Work will begin on Monday to remove the equipment on the tenement.

'The effect of this removal is that 19 residents will be permanently disconnected from the supply of electricity with effect from Monday. I am acutely aware of the distress this will cause, particularly as we move towards the winter months.'

He apologised to those affected.

He has called on residents that own a diesel generator they can lend to let make themselves known so a team from SEL can connect the houses as quickly as possible.

He is also arranging to have emergency generators shipped to Sark.