PHILIPSBURG--TEATT Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten intends to ask the Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP) to identify which recommendations from its 2025 evaluation of GEBE's tariffs have already been verified, which corrective measures can be implemented immediately and which require further information or formal regulatory decisions.
Heyliger-Marten outlined the planned request during her presentation of the ministry's 2027 budget in Parliament on Tuesday, as she addressed concerns about the cost of electricity and the financial pressure it places on households and businesses.
The minister said that, together with the Ministry of VROMI, TEATT had taken steps to activate BTP's regulatory and supervisory role. An independent regulatory examination was initiated to establish the actual cost of electricity production, determine which costs are justified and assess whether consumers are being charged fairly.
For years, questions have surrounded GEBE's fuel clause, tariff calculations and underlying cost structure. The minister said the investigation is intended to provide a complete technical foundation for addressing those concerns, rather than continuing to debate the issues without verified information.
She said the process is not intended to protect GEBE, SOL or any particular commercial interest, but to protect consumers.
Heyliger-Marten also addressed recent correspondence from the Chairlady, in her capacity as a Member of Parliament, concerning recommendations in the April 2025 RAC/BTP tariff evaluation.
The questions raised included the electricity fuel clause, the allocation of electricity costs to water production, the reported fuel-clause surplus, tariff transparency, access to GEBE's financial information, fuel procurement costs and the port throughput fee.
The minister said these were legitimate questions that deserved substantive answers and assured Parliament that they had the government's attention. Several of the issues are already central to the regulatory investigation being carried out by BTP.
However, she acknowledged that some recommendations might be addressed before the entire investigation is completed.
For that reason, she intends to ask BTP to distinguish between findings that have been verified, measures that can responsibly be implemented in the meantime and matters that require additional information or formal regulatory decisions.
Heyliger-Marten said she did not want to delay measures that could responsibly be corrected now, but cautioned against implementing changes without understanding their full legal, financial and consumer implications.
She expects BTP's further findings and recommendations in November 2026, subject to completion of the necessary verification. Those findings are expected to help determine what regulatory measures, tariff adjustments and consumer protections can be pursued.
The minister also intends to ensure that Parliament receives a substantive written response to the questions raised, following consultation with BTP and the other competent authorities.
Looking beyond tariff adjustments
Heyliger-Marten said the objective should not be to produce another report, but to translate verified findings into meaningful and sustainable relief for consumers where possible.
She said the government must also examine ways to reduce the underlying cost of producing electricity, rather than focusing only on the amount consumers pay.
One area for examination is more competitive fuel procurement and greater security of supply. This includes considering whether greater control over fuel-storage and pipeline infrastructure could benefit GEBE and its consumers. Any investment in this area would first require a proper feasibility assessment.
The minister also wants to assess utility-scale solar generation supported by battery storage and the necessary grid infrastructure. This could reduce dependence on imported fuel and help stabilise electricity generation costs over the longer term.
Another proposal is a fair net-metering framework that would allow households, businesses and eligible institutions to generate renewable electricity and receive appropriate credit for surplus energy supplied to the grid.
She said residents and businesses should have opportunities to participate directly in the energy transition.
The minister also identified targeted protection for vulnerable households and seniors as an area for consideration, alongside appropriate arrangements for schools and farmers. Optional prepaid electricity should also be examined, with adequate safeguards for consumers.
Heyliger-Marten said electricity is an essential service and that any measures must be supported by transparent, fair and cost-based tariffs. BTP's verified findings would help guide necessary corrections through the appropriate legal and regulatory procedures.
TEATT's responsibility
The minister clarified that she was addressing the issue in her capacity as the minister responsible for economic affairs, price regulation and consumer protection, not as GEBE's shareholder representative.
She said TEATT should not assume the operational responsibilities of GEBE's management. Its responsibility is to advocate for an electricity sector that serves the economy and protects the people who depend on it.
Heyliger-Marten said the country must move beyond short-term adjustments and pursue lasting structural improvements. A tariff reduction would offer limited long-term relief if the underlying cost structure continued to place the same financial pressure on consumers.
She said the goal should be an electricity system in which families can afford their bills without sacrificing other basic necessities, small businesses can operate and grow without being overwhelmed by energy costs, and renewable energy becomes a practical part of the national energy mix.
Consumers should also be able to have confidence that electricity tariffs are transparent, justified and subject to effective independent oversight.
