TEATT Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten says Sol has until October 15 to submit information; consumer credits or adjustments depend on final findings.
PHILIPSBURG:--- BTP’s preliminary review of GEBE’s fuel-cost calculations has identified matters requiring further examination, including supplier markup, fuel pricing and the allocation of electricity costs associated with water production, Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten announced on Wednesday, October 7.
Speaking at the Council of Ministers press briefing, the minister said BTP has opened an inquiry involving fuel supplier SOL, which received an extension until October 15 to provide requested documentation.
The review remains ongoing. Heyliger-Marten said she could not promise refunds before the findings are finalized but indicated that lawful mechanisms for consumer relief are being examined should the investigation establish an entitlement.
Review Covers January through June Fuel Charges
According to Heyliger-Marten, BTP received the information necessary to examine GEBE’s fuel charges for January through June 2026, including the period when the charge reached approximately 49 cents per kilowatt-hour.
BTP has completed its preliminary findings on GEBE’s fuel-cost calculation, she said.
Areas requiring further examination include the supplier markup, the fuel pricing structure, regional price comparisons and how electricity costs associated with water production were allocated.
These preliminary findings do not establish that consumers were overcharged. They identify questions that BTP is pursuing before reaching its final conclusions.
Sol Granted Additional Time
Following the preliminary review, BTP formally opened an inquiry involving Sol.
The supplier requested additional time to compile and submit the documentation BTP sought. BTP granted the extension, setting the new submission deadline for October 15, 2026.
Once BTP receives the information, it will assess it as part of its ongoing independent inquiry.
The minister did not announce a date for publication of the final findings.
Confidentiality must not shield accountability
Heyliger-Marten also addressed the confidentiality agreement between BTP and GEBE.
She explained that the review requires access to commercially sensitive material, including contracts, invoices and supplier information. The agreement allows BTP to examine those records while protecting legally confidential information.
“Confidentiality will not become a shield from accountability,” she said.
When the process is completed, the minister said the public should understand what the review found, what the findings mean for electricity bills and what action will follow.
Credits and Adjustments Remain Conditional
Heyliger-Marten acknowledged the pressure electricity bills place on households and small businesses but declined to announce a refund or an amount before the independent review is completed.
She said the government is already examining available options.
If the final findings establish that money is owed or consumers are entitled to an adjustment, the minister said lawful mechanisms would deliver that benefit through credits, adjustments or other appropriate measures.
Her statement makes consumer relief depend on the evidence and the inquiry's final outcome.
Draft Tariff Framework due by end of November
Beyond reviewing past charges, Heyliger-Marten said BTP’s specialized legal and technical teams remain on schedule to deliver a draft national decree containing general measures, or LBHAM, by the end of November.
The proposed decree is intended to provide the foundation for a binding, long-term tariff framework under which electricity rates and fuel charges can be reviewed and regulated consistently.
The November target concerns delivery of the draft. The minister did not announce when the framework would take effect.
Minister Asks for patience while bills remain due
Heyliger-Marten said the work must withstand legal, financial, and technical scrutiny, acknowledging that requests for patience are difficult when residents face immediate bills.
She emphasized that economic progress must ultimately be felt in households, including whether families can afford electricity, groceries and other essential expenses.
For consumers awaiting relief, the next milestone is Sol’s October 15 deadline. The decisive questions remain what BTP’s final findings establish and what action those findings support.
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