VINLEC LIMITED

What VINLEC LIMITED does

VINLEC (St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited) is the state-owned, vertically integrated electric utility of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, holding an exclusive license to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity under the Electricity Supply Act of 1973. The company serves just over 46,000 customers (as of March 2020) across 98% of the population, operating a multi-island network spanning St. Vincent mainland, Bequia, Canouan, Union Island, and Mayreau through nine staffed locations and approximately 300 employees.

Its core technical platform is a diversified distributed generation fleet: six diesel power stations (Cane Hall 19.66 MW, Lowmans Bay 17.4 MW providing ~60% of mainland power, Bequia 4,145 kW, Canouan 4,040 kW plus Union Island and Mayreau), three hydroelectric plants (Cumberland 3,650 kW, Richmond 1,100 kW, South Rivers 870 kW after 2018 rehabilitation), and solar PV at Cane Hall (224 kWp), Lowmans Bay (370 kWdc), Union Island (600.3 kWp), and Mayreau. Renewable sources account for approximately 18-20% (hydro) and 2% (solar) of annual production. The 350-mile transmission and distribution network operates at 33kV, 11kV, 400V, and 230V. Operational technology includes SCADA, GIS, AMR/AMI smart metering (Phase 2 of the Smart Meter Project), and a Cane Hall Battery Energy Storage System (5 MW/5 MWh) under development for grid stability.

VINLEC's revenue model is usage-based regulated electricity sales, with a variable monthly fuel surcharge that passes through diesel generation costs, plus transactional fees for reconnection ($20), meter testing ($2.50), service line relocation ($20), and security deposits ($150 domestic, $300 commercial/industrial). Distribution is direct via headquarters in Kingstown and service desks at Grenadines power stations, with bill payment through Click2GovCX online, payment kiosks, and a network of banks and credit unions. Key customer segments are domestic residential, commercial establishments, and industrial facilities, with a smaller use-case segment for renewable energy micro-generator grid interconnection.

Name

VINLEC LIMITED

Legal name

St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited

Website

https://vinlec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VINLEC is the state-owned, vertically integrated electric utility of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, holding an exclusive license to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity to over 46,000 customers across the mainland and four Grenadine islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingstown

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: VINLEC generates revenue primarily through electricity sales to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Revenue is based on consumption measured by meters, with rates determined by the utility rate structure and includes a variable fuel surcharge component that fluctuates monthly based on fuel costs.
2. Fuel Surcharge: A monthly fuel surcharge rate is applied to customer bills to recover fuel costs for diesel generation. The rate varies monthly and is published on the VINLEC website.
3. Service Charges: Fees charged for services including reconnection ($20), meter testing ($2.50), service line relocation ($20), and security deposits ($150-$300 depending on customer type).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VINLEC generates, transmits, and distributes electricity across St. Vincent and the Grenadines through diesel, hydroelectric, and solar PV power stations supported by battery energy storage. The utility serves just over 46,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers via approximately 350 miles of transmission and distribution lines, with regulated usage-based rates plus a variable monthly fuel surcharge. Customer-facing services include new service applications, online bill payment via Click2GovCX, self-service kiosks, prepaid metering, and renewable energy micro-generator grid interconnection.

Product overview

VINLEC (St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited) is a state-owned electricity utility providing comprehensive power services across St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The company's core product portfolio centers on electricity generation (diesel and hydroelectric), transmission, and distribution services delivered through a network spanning approximately 350 miles of lines. Key product initiatives include the Smart Meter Project implementing AMR/AMI technology across all customer meters, the Cane Hall Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) providing grid stability, and Solar PV generation at multiple facilities. Customer-facing services include online bill payment via Click2GovCX, self-service payment kiosks, and planned prepaid metering. The company also supports renewable energy micro-generator grid interconnection for customer-owned solar and wind systems. Operational technology systems include SCADA for grid monitoring and GIS for network management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electricity Generation Services End-to-end electricity generation services for residential, commercial, and industrial customers across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, delivered through a diversified fleet of diesel, hydroelectric, and solar PV power stations with battery energy storage support. Total installed capacity is approximately 37 MW diesel plus 5.6 MW hydro plus solar PV assets.
• Electricity Transmission and Distribution Services Operation and maintenance of approximately 350 miles of 33kV, 11kV, 400V, and 230V transmission and distribution lines across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including line construction, maintenance, metering, transformer management, and street lighting, delivering power from generation stations to end customers.
• Smart Meter Project (AMR/AMI) Two-phase initiative replacing existing electricity meters with smart meters across the customer base, enabling remote automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) with real-time usage data, faster outage management, and prepaid metering capabilities for residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
• Online Bill Payment (Click2GovCX) Online bill payment and bill-checking service for VINLEC customers via the Click2GovCX platform, integrated with multiple local banks and credit unions (Bank of SVG, Republic Bank, St. Vincent Co-operative Bank, GECCU, KCCU, SVGTCCU) for payment processing and customer account management.
• Self-Service Bill Payment Kiosks Self-service bill payment kiosks deployed at multiple locations across St. Vincent (including Pembroke) that allow customers to pay electricity bills using their account numbers without needing to visit a bank or service desk.
• Renewable Energy Micro-Generator Grid Interconnection Application and approval service enabling customers with solar PV or wind turbine installations to interconnect their renewable energy systems to VINLEC's grid, with submission of single-line diagrams, grounding arrangements, generator specifications, and inverter specifications required for approval.
• Prepaid Metering Prepaid electricity metering service introduced as part of Phase 2 of the Smart Meter Project, allowing customers to pay for electricity in advance and manage consumption against their prepaid balance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of population has access to electricity service
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cuban Technical TeamscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Cuban technical teams arrived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to assist in rebuilding Union Island's electrical network following Hurricane Beryl damage in July 2024.
• Regional Linesmen TeamscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Regional linemen teams assisting with restoration efforts in the Southern Grenadines following Hurricane Beryl damage in July 2024
• GilkescoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Contract signed between VINLEC and Gilkes for the refurbishment of the South Rivers and Richmond Hydro Power Stations, completed in 2018.
• Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (BOSVG)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline banking partner for bill payment services
• Republic BankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline banking partner for bill payment services
• St. Vincent Co-operative BankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPayment agent for bill collection services
• General Employees Co-operative Credit Union Ltd. (GECCU)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPayment agent for bill collection services
• Kingstown Co-operative Credit Union (KCCU)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPayment agent for bill collection services
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Co-operative Credit Union (SVGTCCU)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPayment agent for bill collection services
• Electrical Inspectorate (Ministry of Transport & Works)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body responsible for inspecting and approving electrical installations before VINLEC connects service

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BVI Electricity Corporation: State-owned electric utility serving the British Virgin Islands across multiple islands. Comparable small-island regulated utility with diesel generation and growing renewable integration.
• Bahamas Power and Light (BPL): State-owned vertically integrated electric utility serving the Bahamas across multiple islands. Comparable multi-island generation footprint and customer base, with similar diesel-heavy generation mix and resilience challenges.
• Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC): Vertically integrated electric utility serving Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands. Closely analogous small-island monopoly utility with diesel generation, growing solar, and modern grid investments such as AMI.
• Grenada Electricity Services Ltd (Grenlec): Caribbean island electric utility serving Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique with a similar diesel-renewable mix. Directly comparable small-island regulated utility model with multi-island generation and AMI/smart meter rollouts.
• Barbados Light & Power Company: Vertically integrated electric utility serving Barbados, part of the Emera group. Directly comparable regulated Caribbean electric utility with generation, T&D, and customer operations.
• Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA): State-owned integrated electric and water utility serving Antigua and Barbuda. Closely comparable public, multi-island Caribbean utility with diesel and renewable generation.
• Dominica Electricity Services Ltd (DOMLEC): Eastern Caribbean integrated electric utility with generation, T&D, and customer services. Operates in a similarly small island economy with substantial hydro capacity and comparable regulatory and climate exposure.
• St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC): Regulated integrated electric utility serving St. Lucia with generation, transmission, and distribution functions. Closely comparable in scale, island geography, and diesel-plus-renewable generation mix.

Broad incumbents

• Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS): Largest integrated electric utility in the English-speaking Caribbean, serving Jamaica. Comparable vertically integrated regulated utility model but operates at significantly larger scale and with a more diverse generation portfolio.
• Fortis Inc. North American regulated utility holding company, parent of Caribbean Utilities Company and other Caribbean electric assets. Relevant as a strategic owner/investor in the Caribbean utility space and a potential regional consolidator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VINLECSVG
• Facebookfacebook.com/VINLECSVG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vinlec-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VINLEC LIMITED