Press Release Unkobon
The new tariff structure for electricity that was introduced on Bonaire on 1 April 2018 caused a lot of controversy. Now that the dust has settled and new fixed rates apply as of 1 June, Unkobon wonders why households receive so much less subsidies than companies.
In the new tariff structure, a variable usage rate of $ 0.2584 per kilowatt hour (kWh) applies as of 1 April 2018 for the current that is used. In addition, a fixed usage tariff that depends on the connection capacity applies.
On May 30, WEB published the rates in which the subsidy amounts allocated per connection capacity are stated. In the graph Unkobon illustrates the discount percentages that the BC has assigned to the different connection categories.
Bonaire approximately has 10,000 connections, of which approximately 8,300 (83%) connections up to and including 3x35 Amps (small connections) with a fixed rate of $ 28 per month from June 1.
The connections 3x50 up to and including 3x80 Ampère comprise around 1,400 (14%) connections. Households almost all have small connections. The heavier connections are almost all for companies.
There may be good reasons why the majority of companies receive 47% subsidy and most households have to do it with a subsidy of 37%. Unkobon is not familiar with these reasons. Since an estimated half of the households are faced with a price increase of 20% or more compared to 2017, the consumer association considers it a task of the BC to explain to the population why this choice was made.
