The Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) has cautioned consumers that rising global fuel prices are directly driving up electricity costs in Antigua and Barbuda, with a significant jump now reflected in monthly bills.
According to Antigua.news, APUA Corporate Communications Officer Anazette Reynolds made the disclosure during an appearance on WTP Radio, explaining that the utility's Fuel Variation Charge (FVC) for May has risen from 55 cents to 70 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of nearly 30 percent.
Reynolds attributed the rise to escalating fuel prices on the international market, citing ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflict involving Iran as contributing factors.
"We would have published the fuel variation rate for May, and it's a little bit more than what we have seen in recent times," Reynolds said.
The Fuel Variation Charge was introduced by APUA in July 2024 as a mechanism to account for fluctuating fuel costs associated with electricity generation. Reynolds noted that despite the increase, a portion of the actual fuel cost remains subsidized, helping to shield consumers from even steeper rates.
However, Reynolds urged customers to monitor their electricity consumption closely, particularly as the country enters the hotter summer months when energy demand typically rises.
"The thing about electricity is that you can control your cost based on your usage," she said, encouraging households to adopt energy conservation practices.
She also warned that with children expected to be home more during the summer school break and temperatures likely to climb, consumers who fail to manage their energy use could face significantly higher bills in the months ahead.
The development reflects broader concerns about the global cost of energy and the outsized economic impact that international conflicts can have on small island developing states heavily reliant on imported fuel.
