APUA Raises Fuel Variation Rate as Electricity Bills Climb in October

Another squeeze is coming for household budgets this month, with electricity consumers facing higher bills after the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) increased its fuel variation rate for October.

The rate has moved from 80 cents to 88 cents per kilowatt-hour, an increase of eight cents for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed.

For a household using 300 kilowatt-hours during the month, that increase translates into approximately EC$24 more in fuel charges alone. The fuel component of the bill would rise from EC$240 at the previous rate to EC$264 under the new rate, before other electricity charges are added.

The impact will vary depending on consumption. A customer using 200 kilowatt-hours would pay approximately EC$16 more, while a household consuming 500 kilowatt-hours would see its fuel charge increase by about EC$40.

October’s adjustment breaks a three-month stretch during which the fuel variation rate remained unchanged at 80 cents per kilowatt-hour.

The fuel variation charge is used to account for changes in the cost of fuel used to generate electricity and is applied alongside the other components that make up a customer’s monthly electricity bill.

The increase comes at a time when consumers are already confronting higher everyday expenses, adding another cost for households balancing electricity bills with food, transportation and other necessities.

For families trying to keep electricity consumption under control, even an eight-cent increase per kilowatt-hour can become significant as usage climbs, particularly in homes that rely heavily on air conditioning and other high-consumption appliances.