The original list of communities on mainland St. Vincent where VINLEC customers will receive a suspension in their electricity bills has been revised.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of VINLEC, Thornley Myers, described the revised list as excluding some from the original list and including new ones.
The new list covered communities on the Northeastern (Windward) portion from Mount Young Northwards, and the Northwestern (Leeward) section, from Belle Isle upwards.
Belle Isle and Gordon Yard and others have been added to the list for the Leeward side of the island, while Park Hill, South Rivers, Chester, Gorse and Grand Sable were taken off the list for those on the Windward.
According to Myers, consumers in the Red and some within the Orange Zones had not been using electricity since the evacuation order was made on April 8.
“We are not going to burden them any further at this point,” Myers said, and “have decided to suspend billing to several areas, those where persons have been evacuated although there was a period when they did consume electricity, that is not our concern at this time.”
While customers in the affected areas are getting a temporary suspension on their electric bills, Myers said that VINLEC will not be offering the same to those in the area, who are living in their homes and using electricity.
He reasoned that it was not in their best interest to have a suspension, because when the meter is eventually read there may be a significant amount of energy consumed up to that point, and the customer may end up with a large bill.