Home / Business and Economy / Sark Residents Revolt Against Proposed 77% Power Price Hike
Sark Residents Revolt Against Proposed 77% Power Price Hike
14 Nov
Summary
- Sark's power regulator receives request to increase electricity price by 77%
- Residents refuse to pay additional legal levy, regulator deems price "unfair"
- Sark government plans to compulsorily purchase utility, upgrade aging grid
As of November 14, 2025, Sark's electricity regulator has received a request from the island's only commercial power company, Sark Electricity Limited (SEL), to increase the price of power by 77%. The proposed hike would see the price per unit rise from 52p to 92p.
The regulator, Shane Lynch, stated that SEL is seeking to recover around £25-30k in "unpaid legal levies" by spending approximately £1.2m of consumers' money on legal fees. Many Sark residents have refused to pay the additional levy, with one resident, Andy Boast, congratulating those who did not pay "out of fear or a desire not to have their electricity cut."
In October 2025, the price of power on Sark was halved after the regulator deemed the previous price charged by SEL as "neither fair nor reasonable." This followed a decision by the utility to charge customers a legal levy to cover its own legal bills related to plans to compulsorily purchase the company.
Sark's government, Chief Pleas, has announced its intention to buy the utility and upgrade the island's power grid, which has been described by independent experts as "dangerous" and "past its design life." The cost of the project is estimated to be around £8.6m, and the new grid will introduce more renewable energy sources.
