Encourage the idea of solar panel usage on public and industrial properties

On being asked why it’s 10 years since the last rise why again put up prices in this day of massive inflation and energy crisis? He admitted that it was their ‘failing’ to keep up with inflation and should have looked to increases of small amounts over the last 10 years.

Again, why doesn’t our government encourage our island and support the idea of solar panels, both on public and industrial properties. Also encourage the use of any derelict greenhouse sites, which would be perfect around the island. I’m quite surprised that Deputy Roffey, a man of green issues, never pushed these ideas.

Are we going to see a ‘Russian-type warfare’ with, say, France issuing a threat to our supply as they threatened earlier on over the fishing war. We should be looking at other ways of [providing] our own power supply, it’s now working successfully with individual homes in Guernsey powering their own electricity.

Again as Deputy Peter Ferbrache said, our past States have let us down again.

That phrase used the other day in the media, ref Winston Churchill, said, ‘always look back in the past to help look forward in the future’.

Take note our present States.

R S MAUGER

Valletta

Rue des Frieteaux

St Martin’s

States’ Trading Supervisory Board president Peter Roffey responds:

I am sorry your correspondent feels that a response I gave was anything less than serious. I never shy away from giving a straight answer, no matter how difficult the question, and I am happy to give one now.

Why do tariffs need to rise now? Quite simply because it is long overdue. As your correspondent rightly points out, there has been no comprehensive review of tariffs since 2012. As a result, Guernsey Electricity’s revenues have fallen well short of the level required to fund the investment that is needed both to maintain current services and to plan for the future.

The current correction in tariffs really should have been done far earlier, and possibly in a more gradual manner, but it wasn’t, and as a result the company is playing catch-up now.

Just as I do not shy away from answering a difficult question, I also will not shy away from making difficult but important decisions, no matter how unpopular I know they will be. I am genuinely sorry islanders face higher energy bills, but as a commercial entity Guernsey Electricity has to be financially stable and must be able to invest. I accept the timing is far from ideal, but to defer a rise will simply require even bigger increases. That would not be a wise approach.

As far as encouraging renewables is concerned, that always has had and always will have my full support. But no matter how much we generate through renewable sources, import, or generate through other means, we need a reliable distribution network. That is why continued investment by Guernsey Electricity is so critical, for all to benefit.