VINLEC wants customers to conserve electricity – CEO

Chief Executive Officer of VINLEC Thornley Mayers says that although his company is selling energy, he would like to see it being consumed wisely.{{more}}

Mayers, speaking exclusively to SEARCHLIGHT last week, said one of the main comments and questions by the thousands of visitors to the just concluded three-month energy awareness exhibition, was why was VINLEC holding such an event.

This, he said, is because his company is aware that energy is expensive and that customers, whether individuals or businesses, have limited resources.

“While we would like to see a demand in electricity; we want to see the demand in new factories and places that employ people, so that those very persons who are employed will turn around and pay their electricity bill.

“The factory will generate income and the country grows. So, if the country is growing, the electricity demand will increase. But we just don’t want persons to be consuming electricity just for the sake of consuming it and then, of course, these persons could have difficulties,” he told SEARCHLIGHT.

“The lower your electricity bill, the greater amount of resources you will have to dedicate to other things. Electricity is a necessity. You have to use it; use it wisely,” Myers said.

The CEO said that during the exhibition, which commenced in November 2012, the interaction between supplier and user proved to be mutually beneficial.

He highlighted an encounter where a customer was educated and advised on how to conserve energy.

“I met an individual who was there at the exhibition, who said that his electricity bill is $150, even though he only has a light and a little fridge.

“He explained to me that he has a 5,000 watts transformer in his home. I said to him that there is no house in St Vincent that requires a 5,000 watts transformer. “So I said, ‘Do you have it connected all the time?’ He says ‘Yes, I have it on all the time.’ So, I said, ‘Do you ever realize that its hot? He said ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘When it’s hot, its using energy; you are probably paying VINLEC 30 to 35 dollars a month that you don’t need to pay.’”

Mayers said that 30 to 35 dollars is equal to about two gallons of diesel.

“If we save a half a gallon here, and a gallon there, you will see where we are going,” he told SEARCHLIGHT.