Belco customers are continuing to conserve electricity in a bid to overcome high fuel prices.

That is according to the company's second quarter reporter, which was released yesterday and reveals that conservation, made easier by mild temperatures, resulted in 1.12 percent lower total kilowatt hour (kWh) sales through May this year compared to the same period in 2007.

Demand of customer usage, however, was 2.86 percent higher than last year, mainly due to the completion of a number of new commercial buildings.

Meanwhile, residential sales fell 5.56 percent in contrast to 2007, despite a 2.02 percent rise in the amount of residential customers.

Average monthly residential customer usage was also down 7.43 percent from an average of 695.17KWh in 2007 to 643.52kWh during the first five months of 2008.

Fuel prices continued to escalate with heavy fuel, which represents 82 percent of the company's consumption, costing $116.39 per barrel this month, a 2.85 percent increase over the previous price paid for the April shipment.

The next shipment of diesel fuel at $185.47 per barrel is 43.64 percent higher than the last price paid in November 2007.

Bermuda Gas overall sales through May 2008 were 4.3 percent ahead of the same period last year, mainly down to the rising price of propane fuel, while gas sales were 9.6 percent higher and appliance sales were 6.6 percent lower, with service, labour and parts sales decreasing by 1.3 percent compared with 2007.

The company also declared a dividend for shareholders of 21.25 cents per share for the second quarter.