Sark Electricity to stop supplying power to island

Sark Electricity claims to be losing £20,000 per month since it was forced to lower its prices in August 2018

Sark will be without electricity from next month, the Channel Island's sole power provider has said.

Sark Electricity - which powers about 300 properties - said it would stop supplying electricity after it failed to get financial assistance.

The utility said it could no longer afford to appeal against a decision forcing it to lower electricity prices.

It claims the island's government will not help cover the cost of the appeal, forcing it to shut.

In August 2018, Sark Electricity was forced to lower its price by 14p to 52p per kilowatt hour (kw/h) after the island's electricity price commissioner found the cost "neither fair nor reasonable".

Despite the reduction, Sark residents still pay significantly more than the 17p per kw/h in nearby Guernsey or the UK the average of 14p.

'Public health emergency'

Sark Electricity has now abandoned a legal case against the forced price rise, citing a dire financial situation.

Managing director David Gordon-Brown said: "We will no longer offer electricity for sale after the end of this month.

"Unfortunately, Chief Pleas [Sark's government] has never felt that an electricity supply was necessary on Sark or that they had an obligation to safeguard an essential service like electricity.

"Without the electricity to provide water, the government would quickly have a public health emergency if it allows anyone to remain on Sark," he added.

A spokesman for Chief Pleas said it would be meeting with Mr Gordon-Brown and would listen to his concerns before considering commenting.