Chief Pleas request cash for Sark Electricity bid

Sark's government has asked for a loan of £1.5m from the States of Guernsey as part of a bid to buy the island's electricity firm.

The Chief Pleas has written to Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee requesting a loan to purchase Sark Electricity Limited (SEL) - the island's only electricity supplier.

Conseiller John Guille, chairman of the Policy and Finance Committee at the Chief Pleas, said buying SEL would help provide "safe and reliable" energy distribution in the future.

SEL's managing director Alan Witney-Price blasted the move from the Chief Pleas, saying he was already in the process of selling the firm to another party.

The Chief Pleas has previously put forward plans to set up Sark Community Power, which would take over the island's power network and upgrade it.

On Tuesday, the Chief Pleas is holding a meeting in Island Hall to update the public on its plans for Sark Community Power.

In a letter to the States, Mr Guille said Sark's government would repay the loan from revenue produced from the sale of electricity in the island.

He added the loan would also help pay for "immediate health and safety upgrades" to Sark's electricity network.

Mr Guille said: "The taking into local ownership of Sark Electricity Limited's assets will secure Sark's future, providing safe and reliable energy generation and distribution to residents and businesses for generations to come."

Mr Witney-Price said he was negotiating the sale of SEL already and expected the deal to be completed by the end of April.

He added: "Had the company not already been sold in principal, which it has, then it certainly would not be offered to Chief Pleas at a discount."

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