TCI News
FortisTCI ready for the building boom and consumer demand for electricity; plans in place and new ones coming says CEO
#Providenciales, June 11, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Nearly 1,000 new hotel rooms and countless other new construction projects around the island coupled with the indisputable effects of climate change compelled Magnetic Media to enquire of the FortsTCI CEO about the company’s readiness in the face of it all.
In a word, Eddinton Powell’s answer was a resounding ‘yes!’
“So we already started to think about these things and that integrated resource plan will be executed and implemented over the next 20 years; it is a 22-year plan from 2018-2040-42. Every three years that plan will be updated, that plan will be revised and we will take more data in.”
FortisTCI believes Climate Change is real and during a press conference held last week to address a prolonged electricity outage for the island of Providenciales, Mr. Powell assured that there is serious work happening to incorporate alternative energy forms.
“Climate Change is very important and we work with the Clinton Foundation, they are partners with Rocky Mountain Institute who did the project. And the Rocky Mountain Institute is very, very trusted organization, they have been around for a long-time doing work in the area of Climate Change. “
A series of town meetings is one way, reminded Powell, that FortisTCI has been working with government to bring the conversation to the consumer.
“We have started (conversations) on that integrated resource plan, the RNETS, that I’ve mentioned,” Mr. Powell added, “there were public meetings before and after the Plan, in Provo and in Grand Turk and many people came out to it, not enough because I would like to see more people come out and participate, but in that over the next 22-years up to 2040, that plan forecasts that the penetration of renewable energy on the grid will be 33 percent and actually I think it will be higher than that.”
Renewable energy dreams are, these days, a more cost-effective reality for home owners and small businesses.
“In the next three-years, when we update the plan, we will see what the market for renewable energy has done because the cost of panels and inverters have come down significantly, battery for storage has also come down significantly.”
FortisTCI in 2018 won the region’s CREF Award for its renewable energy strides and is the only Caribbean energy supplier which has a roof top leasing program and the owner-consumer is financially compensated.
“So, yes, Deandrea, we have been thinking about this for a long time and we are also thinking about a much bigger scale.”
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TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
PROVIDENCIALES — New commercial Crown Land applications are facing a six-month pause as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government takes inventory of its holdings.
During Cabinet meetings held July 15 and 16, an immediate six-month moratorium was approved on the acceptance, processing
and approval of new applications for commercial Crown Land grants, leases and allocations.
The pause will remain in place pending completion of the Crown Land Inventory Review. Cabinet’s summary did not state what prompted the review or indicate whether availability of commercial Crown Land is a concern.
The two-day meeting also advanced major consumer legislation. Cabinet approved the National Fair Competition Policy 2026 and drafting instructions for a Fair Competition Ordinance, moving TCI toward stronger consumer protection and fair competition rules.
In Grand Turk, Cabinet approved rezoning land in the North West Suburbs from low-density to medium-density residential use to facilitate a new apartment development.
Cabinet also advanced fisheries reforms, water legislation allowing private and public-private investment, minerals legislation and appointments across tourism, health and finance.
Progress toward establishing a TCI Credit Union was also noted.
PROVIDENCIALES — Major development projects outside Providenciales received Cabinet attention on July 8, with Government approving agreements connected to the redevelopment of Dellis Cay and a resort development in North Caicos.
Cabinet approved a Development Agreement between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, Desarrollos Hotelco DC Ltd. and
Desarrollos Hotelco Astoria Ltd. for the redevelopment of Dellis Cay.
The long-discussed private island development sits between Providenciales and North Caicos and its return to Cabinet signals another step toward redevelopment.
Cabinet also approved amendments to an agreement involving SPR LND Ltd. (Royal Reef) and TCIG Development Agreement for a resort/hotel development in North Caicos.
Other decisions included approval of the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026 for onward transmission and the appointment of Cindy Ewing as Chair of the Invest TCI Board, effective August 1 for three years.
Cabinet also noted consultation outcomes concerning changes to business licensing, approved professional membership expenses for qualifying Telecommunications Commission staff and approved advice relating to the Interim Clinical and Estates Services PPP.
The July 8 meeting was chaired by Acting Governor Anya Williams.
Photo Credit: Royal Reef (Keith)
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