Pelican Energy TCI is helping customers better understand their July electricity bills, which were the first bills issued under the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) Fuel Factor Relief Program that took effect in July and runs through October 2026.
Since bills were released, some customers have questioned why their electricity bill increased despite the Government's fuel factor relief initiative. Electricity bills for July are based on three key factors: how the TCIG Fuel Factor Relief Program works, changes in fuel factor rates in July, and individual electricity use.
The TCIG Fuel Factor Relief Program temporarily caps the Fuel Factor Rate at US$0.22 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for eligible residential customers. Whenever the actual Fuel Factor Rate exceeds $0.22 per kWh, the Government pays the difference directly to the utility company on the customer's behalf.
To qualify, residential customers must have a three-month rolling average of less than US$1,500 based on their previous three months of electricity bills. The program was designed to shield eligible customers from exceptionally high fuel-related costs driven by global fuel prices, which remain beyond the utility company's control.
However, for many customers, the capped Fuel Factor Rate of $0.22 per kWh in July was still slightly higher than what they paid in June. Providenciales, North Caicos and Middle Caicos saw Fuel Factor Rates increase from $0.2118 per kWh in June to the capped rate of $0.22 per kWh in July. Grand Turk and Salt Cay saw rates increase from $0.1964 per kWh in June to $0.22 per kWh cap in July. South Caicos was the exception, where the Fuel Factor Rate decreased from $0.2925 per kWh in June to the capped rate of $0.22 per kWh in July.
In addition to paying a higher Fuel Factor Rate on some islands, many customers also used more electricity during July, resulting in higher overall bills. July is among the months that historically record the highest energy usage, due to the summer heat and peak humidity days, which increase the demand for cooling. In addition, July’s billing period has one more day than June’s (30 versus 31 days). An additional day means that customers pay for more units of electricity on their bills.
The TCIG Fuel Factor Relief Program significantly reduced the impact of July's record-high fuel factor rates, due to ongoing geopolitical events affecting global fuel markets. In July, fuel-related costs increased to the point where the Fuel Factor Rate exceeded the Electric Rate, or base rate, a rare occurrence in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Without Government-funded assistance, customers in Providenciales, North Caicos and Middle Caicos would have paid the full Fuel Factor Rate of $0.3017 per kWh. Customers in Grand Turk and Salt Cay would have paid $0.2636 per kWh. Customers in South Caicos would have paid $0.2831 per kWh.
Commercial customers, industrial customers, government accounts, and residential customers who do not meet the eligibility criteria continue to pay the full Fuel Factor Rate and therefore experienced the full impact of July's higher fuel factor rate on their electricity bills.
Although customers have seen increases in their power bills, the TCIG Rate Cap still provides important relief. It protects eligible customers from the full impact of unprecedented global fuel costs. However, because the capped rate of $0.22 per kWh remains relatively high compared to fuel factor rates experienced earlier this year and in late 2025 of around $0.15 per kWh, the Fuel Factor Rate Cap may not always result in lowering the bill the customer pays during the program period from July to October.
The Government-funded portion of the Fuel Factor Rate is clearly displayed on eligible residential customers' bills, allowing customers to see the amount being covered on their behalf.
Customers who qualify for the relief program are most likely to see lower electricity bills when the Fuel Factor Rate falls below the $0.22 per kWh cap, and when their electricity consumption remains the same or decreases. Customers who are not eligible for the relief and are currently paying the full Fuel Factor Rate would see a reduction in their electricity bill when the actual fuel factor rate falls.
Pelican Energy TCI is advancing its long-term strategy of increasing renewable energy generation, particularly solar energy, to reduce reliance on imported fuel, minimize exposure to the volatility of global fuel markets, and reduce the cost of energy over time.
Customers with questions about the TCIG Fuel Factor Relief Program or their electricity bills are encouraged to contact Pelican Energy TCI's Customer Service Team at (649) 946-4313 or email customerservice@pelicanenergytci.com. Customers can also review their energy usage summary on their PDF bill or access Pelican Energy TCI's free customer portal to analyze their electricity usage by day, hour, and month.
