Sark in the dark?

Friday 09 November 2018

A public health crisis is looming in Sark as a row over the island's electricity supply looks increasingly likely to lead to a blackout.

It's widely acknowledged that Sark pays an extremely high price for its power - but the man who runs the island's only electricity company has said that it is the price people must pay for living in such a small community.

Managing Director David Gordon-Brown told Express that Chief Pleas – Sark’s government - meddling in the prices he has to charge to ensure the island remains switched on has put him in the position of having to turn off supplies within weeks. 

The price of power in Sark has already dropped this year, with Chief Pleas forcing Sark Electricity to cut prices to 52 pence per unit price, according to the company's website. 

This compares to 17p per kw/h in Guernsey or an average of 14p per unit in the UK.

Pictured: Sark Electricity's website lays bare the extent of the problem, with the utility firm also responsible for water supplies and other infrastructure. 

Mr Gordon-Brown, whose family have run Sark Electricity for decades, said the price has always been high, but that political interference has worsened the situation. 

In recent years, the losses the company makes have escalated, with figures from October this year showing that the new lower price "forced on us by the Electricity Price Control commissioner will result in the company running at a loss in excess of £20,000 per month."

Mr Gordon-Brown said at the time his company could not withstand those losses for long, with his website also warning "nor can we afford the £250,000 estimated for the legal appeal, we have applied to the government for a £250,000 grant to fund the legal appeal."

That money was not forthcoming and Mr Gordon-Brown said the dispute between his company and Chief Pleas has now reached breaking point, with him telling the island's politicians at a meeting last night that they can have the company. However, he claims "they don't want it." 

He accused them of just wanting to tell him what to do, and how to run the island's power supply, rather than letting him charge the prices he needs to make ends meet.

Mr Gordon-Brown said "the money will run out within weeks" and by the end of November Sark will have no electricity. He warned this is a public health crisis in the making. 

"I'm running out of money, I can't just keep going. There are no generators so the power will just go off, there's nothing else I can do. Everyone has boreholes for their water, so they need electricity. So the toilets won't flush and there won't be any water. It's going to be a public health emergency."

Mr Gordon-Brown said he's got no answers and neither has Chief Pleas, which is yet to respond to a request for comment on the matter by Express.

An international crisis is also looming in Sark, with the UK Minister with responsibility for the Channel Islands staging a political intervention.

Pictured: Lord Keen, who recently visited the island.

Lord Keen, who recently visited the islands, has written to Chief Pleas and the Lieutenant Governor outlining his concerns. 

The next Chief Pleas election which is due to be held next month is likely to see no one standing again, after the previous elections, due to be held earlier this year, had to be postponed for the same reason.

The island's government has also failed to agree its budget, prompting Lord Keen to ask if there has been "a breakdown of good government in Sark" which could lead to international assistance being given - or forced - on the island.

Express has asked Chief Pleas for its response.