Politics
PM Mercelina meets SOL on fuel costs; no cut in electricity bills announced
The Prime Minister met fuel supplier SOL, the Finance Minister and MPs to look at fuel costs behind electricity bills, the government said on 8 October. Options were discussed, but no agreement or bill reduction was announced.
By SXM Daily ยท
Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina met fuel supplier SOL, Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs and several MPs to examine what fuel supply costs mean for Dutch-side electricity bills, the government said in a release on 8 October 2026. The release stated: "No agreement on these measures or a specific reduction in electricity bills was announced."
GEBE power plant (file photo). Photo: giggel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
The SOL meeting
According to the release, the meeting followed questions to the Prime Minister in Parliament and concerns from residents about their electricity bills. MPs Veronica Jansen-Webster (URSM), Ludi de Weever (PFP), Omar Ottley (UPP) and Egbert Doran (NA) took part, along with SOL representatives Collin Francis and Robert James.
Participants asked about fuel sourcing, transportation, storage, pricing benchmarks, supplier margins and deliveries to GEBE. SOL explained its supply arrangements and described the risks of maintaining deliveries without a formal supply agreement.
Options raised included competitive procurement, more storage capacity, a possible maximum supplier margin and fuel hedging. The government said these need careful technical and financial assessment. SOL was also asked to consider a contribution towards community relief, particularly for vulnerable households and seniors.
"People approach us with questions about their electricity bills, and some of those questions are the same ones we have," Mercelina said in the release.
BTP's review of the fuel clause
The Prime Minister said the meeting would not interfere with the ongoing supervisory review by the Bureau Telecommunications and Post (BTP), and that SOL was cooperating with that process.
In a release on 22 July 2026, the Ministry of TEATT said a meeting had confirmed that BTP "did not receive the supporting information needed to validate the latest adjustment of the fuel clause to XCG 0.49 before it was implemented." Under the process being put in place, GEBE is expected to provide its calculations to BTP before any fuel-clause change for the next billing cycle is finalised.
The ministry said BTP's work has three phases: the supervisory framework and fuel-clause methodology, then GEBE's full tariff structure, and then the legislation needed for broader oversight.
What it means for residents
Nothing changes on your bill yet. The government has not announced any reduction, and SXM Daily has not independently assessed how the fuel clause is calculated.
What happens next
BTP's review continues. SOL has not publicly responded to the relief request, as far as SXM Daily could find.
Sources
- https://www.sintmaartengov.org/news/Pages/press-release.aspx?slug=prime-minister-mercelina-dialogue-with-sol-focused-on-facts-consumer-relief-and-respect-for-regulatory-process
- https://www.sintmaartengov.org/news/Pages/Heyliger-Marten-convenes-BTP-review-GEBE-to-substantiate-tariff-information-by-July-27.aspx