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Beware of ‘idle load’ consuming electricity in household- BVIEC

- said customers are ultimately in control of their electricity consumption
Customers of BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) are being urged to be aware of 'idle load' so they can conserve effectively on electricity consumption. Photo: Internet Source
Deputy General Manager of BVIEC Symone Penn, left, and General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A.E. Abraham, right. Photo: Facebook
Deputy General Manager of BVIEC Symone Penn, left, and General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A.E. Abraham, right. Photo: Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- As the high cost of fuel continues to reflect on the electricity bills of customers of BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC), the Corporation has urged its customers to practice energy conservation.

Deputy General Manager of BVIEC Symone Penn, during an interview with an online media entity on September 3, 2022, said ultimately customers are in control of their electricity consumption and should practice measures to reduce the consumption in their homes so they can likewise see a reduction in their electricity bill.

Idle load

Penn said persons should first of all be aware of how electricity is consumed in the household.

“For example, persons may not know but just turning off your television or appliance doesn’t mean that it isn’t consuming electricity. There is what you call idle load where you see like a timer on your microwave or a light on your TV, and that means that appliance is still consuming electricity.

“So, once you are aware of how your appliances in your home consume electricity then you can apply mitigating measures to reduce the household consumption,” Ms Penn stated.

General Manager of BVIEC Mr Leroy A.E. Abraham, who was also part of the interview, said a lot of people take for granted the electricity consumption in the home.

“Most of us employ water pumps…and we don’t practice good maintenance with regards to these water pumps. Sometimes these pumps are kicking in very frequently and little things like that, once you are unaware of it, can essentially drive your consumption up,” Mr Abraham stated.

Pandemic & war in Ukraine to blame- Abraham

Meanwhile, Mr Abraham explained that the high cost of electricity is due to varying reasons, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

“At this present time, coming out of the pandemic, that has unfortunately driven the cost of oil extremely high, and more recently the geo-political issues which are taking place in Europe between Russia and Ukraine.”

Mr Abraham said those combined issues have caused the price of oil and gas to reach record figures not seen in well over two decades.

31 Responses to “Beware of ‘idle load’ consuming electricity in household- BVIEC”

  • asura (04/09/2022, 11:03) Like (18) Dislike (10) Reply
    we need government help and the slow premier refused to help we the people
    • WOW (04/09/2022, 15:00) Like (16) Dislike (4) Reply
      Don't hang your hat where you can't reach it. Turn off the lights. Plug out the appliances. Use ac sparingly. You burn it you got to pay. BVI is not a welfare state
      • Greg (04/09/2022, 20:48) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
        Yes, we know things are no longer the way they used to be, but if we really think about it, we do waste a lot of electricity. When I go out I unplug my microwave, t.v., toaster, blender, computer, and anything that I know will pull electrical power when not being used. If your cell phones are fully charged, unplug the power cord too. It is also a safety habit of mine since my friend had an electrical fire when he was not home which came from his microwave. We never think about these simple things, but they are pulling power all of the time. Turn off all lights including night lights during the day. Unplug anything you will not need and you will find we waste a lot of power. FYI
  • Why Not (04/09/2022, 11:16) Like (12) Dislike (4) Reply
    Why not list household appliances to let us know how much energy they use on average, plus the cost to run them. For example I understand that a dryer is the most expensive household appliance to run.....
  • Freeloader (04/09/2022, 11:24) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Are all electric users paying ? How many are tried to the grid without meters ?
  • Real Talk (04/09/2022, 11:37) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Their are Thief's people hard earned money and yet their is no help in Site these people do what they want and when the want.
  • Native Senior Citizen of the British Virgin Islands (04/09/2022, 11:46) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    What this message is clearly urging us to do as much as possible is to simple stop hiking our elecricity bill with unnecessary usage.
    Thank you very much for your wise, and Good advice.
  • Yes (04/09/2022, 12:15) Like (17) Dislike (2) Reply
    We all knows all that stated is Ture but what I don't understand is why my bill increases every mouth....WHY.
  • CONSUMER (04/09/2022, 12:35) Like (29) Dislike (6) Reply
    Blaming the consumer. Real class act
  • WEW (04/09/2022, 12:51) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    The "idle" load on the tax payers as the government wastes money.
  • Hmm (04/09/2022, 13:19) Like (22) Dislike (1) Reply
    They need to tell the truth Elevtrivity is high because of the same reason it is higher in Stt and that's because Gov owes a lot of money for unpaid Bills so the consumer carries the load. The corporation's finances need to be made Public.
    • Sanctions (10/09/2022, 08:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Electricity is high because the EU sanctioned Russin energy. Now they have to buy energy from new sources like OPEC. So that increases demand and raises prices for everyone else that depend on OPEC energy.

      OPEC warned the EU in April to NOT sanction Russian energy but the EU does not listen to anyone (except Biden). I guess the EU thought they could dictate to OPEC to increase production to offset and lower prices, but why would OPEC do that? Now we all suffer.

      https://www.cityam.com/opec-warns-of-global-supply-shock-if-eu-sanctions-russian-oil/
  • c (04/09/2022, 13:24) Like (7) Dislike (4) Reply
    Unfortunately, if you unplug your smart tv, you’ll need to wait quite awhile for it to reprogram itself every time you plug it back up.
    • Greg (05/09/2022, 08:47) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      Just unplug what is not needed. Some things needs to stay plugged in.
  • cap (04/09/2022, 14:03) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes, we can obviously all cut down on our consumption. BUT why has my bill DOUBLED in the last few months? I know for fact that gas has not DOUBLED in price especially with the gov duty cuts. Explain that BVIEC?!
  • Lilly (04/09/2022, 14:23) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    Come on bvi ec we expect better than you blaming we poor people
  • Yall does kill me (04/09/2022, 14:55) Like (13) Dislike (6) Reply
    Mehson alu does kill me. People always quick to beg for help, or government need to do this. Realty is almost off of those who continually beg for help or complain about cost has made poor life decisions. You walk about and you see people w fresh hair do, nails, or expensive sneakers and phones, people driving high end cars and have mortgages in excess of $1M or they have more kids than they can afford. If yall actually plan you life early on, and live within your means and save, when things get a lil bumpy, you will be fine.

    We cannot help that your job pays minimum wage. Why work a minimum wage job to start w? Why not go for something more? Is it because you didnt invest in your education or is it because your attitude sucks?

    We also cannot help if shopping for groceries costing you $800 a month and your mortgage, car notes and other bills is another $4000 a month. Again you got yourself into that position.

    So yeah, if your electrical bill is $950 a month cause your paying to cool 5000 sqft, while living ontop a hill in a 6 bedroom castle for u and your wife and 1 kid, then by all means you earned that bill- pay it and carry on w life.
    • yeah (05/09/2022, 01:02) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      All of what you are saying is correct but it still does not explain how someone who is used to paying $190 for electricity bill is now paying $425 with minimal fluctuation in this KWH usage. I am now paying more for energy charge alone than my total bill use to be last year. I went Florida last week the price of gas was $3.25 while it is $5.75 here. We all know the price of gas has gone up but the margins these guys are making down here is outrageous.
  • Well Well (04/09/2022, 18:55) Like (2) Dislike (5) Reply
    I like how you think. And it is true in some cases. But what about those who never got the chance to go to school or college, and how many people did and still can`t get the job that they are qualified for? Although you are saying things that are true, you should not be so selfish with your thoughts.
    • @well well (04/09/2022, 20:12) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      That is part of our ignorance as people. People attend college to become critical thinks and learn about a discipline and contribute to that field. People attend trade school to learn a skill to become qualified for a job. If our youths are going to college with the idea that it will make them qualified for a job, they are misinformed. The only thing that qualifies you for a job is pure experience.

      The is no excuse why someone never got to finish school. Zero. Its free and written in the constitution. There is no reason why someone cannot learn a trade or gain experience.
  • Putin (04/09/2022, 19:00) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    come on leroy, don't be so d...b, i cant believe you too blaming the war.
    gas prices went up long before the war started.
    this place really full of educated dummies!!
  • BVIslander (04/09/2022, 20:26) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply

    Even Stevie Wonder can see y'all trying have us for @$$h*les.

  • I from hear. (04/09/2022, 21:26) Like (1) Dislike (8) Reply
    The funny thing is the down island people are the ones who are always complaining. You all want to send all of hour monies home and expect to live in the BVI rent free, electricity free, work permit free, water free,phone free, tax free, nhi free, like yo if you can't afford to live in the BVI I'm urge you to pack up and either return to your place of birth or somewhere else. Secondly we the consumers are literally paying the Government light and water bills.
    • Don't want to see your own do good? (05/09/2022, 06:08) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      Self hate? Why mention the down Islanders but not the struggling white folks who are cleaning boats in exchange for room and board in the BVI?

      This is the typical black on black hate we've become accustomed to hearing from black locals against black down Islanders. You wrong and strong too by stating "I from here". You use finances to look down on your fellow black brothers and sisters. The USD have you brainwashed and on a pedestal.

      We may have to seriously consider researching if this level of hate is connected to slavery plantation divisions or a result of excessive inbreeding in the BVI.
  • Tot (05/09/2022, 01:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is total BS. The fuel charges as the prices at the pump, have not dropped off after WORLD fuel prices have dropped off. What BS Tola logic is being spewed here. Drop the bloody fuel surcharge. Don't talk crap about small appliances using at best negligible amounts of power. Miss me with this BS.
  • slow down (05/09/2022, 07:44) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Before we start blaming everything from the management of the BVIEC to politicians and throw in some racist issues for good measure…. Please look that these price increases are world wide…. Just today price of natural gas ( i.e. for cooking) went up by another 30%….
  • Really (05/09/2022, 09:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    People do you not question anything or use a pinch of common sense. Current comes from windmill and solar system. When the elites kill all the vaccinated people the unvaccinated people won't have nothing. The Almighty Creator gave us natural source so we will find a way. Use common sense right now because they a charging you for fees which they made up to take all our hard earning devil money. People are going to wake up soon because even the teenagers are smart and figured it out. All these vaccinated people getting sick and just dropping down dead at work and home nothing you ever saw in your life. People are going to press the dislike button when I speak pure facts from the world health organization. I can see how they do depopulation and start the hundred years over and over without raising suspicion. Look up All the death plagues, Spanish flu etc, get some knowledge shèeps and make sense out of non sense. Everything is by design our lives is scripted. You are born and your whole life is set up from the wicked elites. You have no say. You go to day care at 3 months with a stranger till you graduate from college. Your not even raised by your parents the devil puppet raised you. People send their teenager out on their own to struggle and stress when your supposed to protect them but the devil system tells you to throw them out when they graduate high school wow. Your just as evil as the people who raised you because it's not your parents they don't even see you only when they drop you to school and after school all your times goes to the devil system. Stay in the box because you will die in it if you don't question this life. Why you have to put poison into to you when the Almighty made you perfect. The government killed your immune system with the mask and then give you the vaccinated to completely bring it down. Wake up people we're living in revelations
  • Gassur (05/09/2022, 09:57) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    BVIEC the more you use the lower the rate per kilowatt. Don't believe me just check what is written on your electricity bill.
  • question (05/09/2022, 10:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So, does the govt turn off the a/c in their building over the week-ends? Their computers? The lights even?
  • Really? (07/09/2022, 10:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    How about unplugging some of that fuel surcharge Mr Abraham! It's waaay higher that the actual amount of electricity being consumed!


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