The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (‘URCA’) is the independent regulator and competition authority for the Electricity Sector (ES) in The Bahamas. URCA is responsible for the licensing of all generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity within, into, from or through The Bahamas. URCA regulates the ES through the Electricity Act, 2015 (EA), which includes, inter alia, the functions and powers to issue regulatory and other measures to regulate the sector.

URCA issues this consultation document on the draft Consumer Protection Regulations for the Electricity Sector in The Bahamas (‘the Draft Regulations’). URCA proposes to apply the Draft Regulations to licensees who have been issued a Public Electricity Suppliers Licence (PESL) or an Authorised Public Electricity Suppliers Licence (APESL). The objectives of the Draft Regulations include, but are not limited to, the following:

• to provide guidelines relating to specific practices of the mentioned licensees, including contract terms, billings and complaints handling;
• outline the obligations and responsibilities that are conferred on consumers when utilising electricity supply services provided by licensees;
• propose a series of reporting requirements on the licensees so that URCA can survey the effectiveness of the ES Consumer Protection Regulations when implemented, and take appropriate action to address any deficiencies consequential to their application in the ES.

URCA considers the proposed regulatory measures to be of public significance with the potential to affect members of the public, licensees and other stakeholders throughout The Bahamas in different ways. Therefore, pursuant to section 41(2) of the EA, URCA issues this consultation document to afford persons with sufficient interest or who are likely to be affected by the outcome of the measures an opportunity to comment on the Draft Regulations.