Some JPS customers to get additional 40% discount on estimated bills

Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) customers who received estimated bills in July will pay 40 per cent less on their August bills after an intervention by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR).

The reduction is in addition to a 20 per cent discount, under the light and power company’s hurricane relief programme, that JPS will be applying to customers who use 150 kWh of electricity or less for the month.

In a statement last night, the OUR said it approved a mechanism for calculating these bills following a meeting with the electricity company, after it had indicated that it would be issuing estimated bills to some customers because it could not access meters in some areas badly damaged by Hurricane Beryl.

Following enquiries with JPS about customer impact and available alternatives to soften the billing impact on consumers, the OUR said it agreed to a waiver of the mechanism for calculating estimated bills, specifically for customers impacted by extended outages.

The objective, it noted, is to lessen the impact on persons who could (not) bear an increased financial burden if the prescribed regulatory methodology was used.

“Approval of a 0.6 factor to the consumption estimate based on the last three actual readings to determine the net consumption, would mean a 40 per cent reduction on the average for customers. These customers would be billed at 0.6, 60 per cent of what JPS estimated,” the statement read.

Additionally, the OUR granted approval for JPS to use the last recorded reading for customers with smart meters who were not already billed. It noted that JPS is required to indicate to the OUR how it will deal with those customers who already received estimated bills in July as they should also benefit from similar treatment.

COMMUNITIES STILL WITHOUT ELECTRICITY

Some communities are still without electricity after the monstrous Category 4 storm lashed Jamaica on July 3, toppling light poles, damaging homes, and other infrastructure.

The OUR stated that, as at July 22, 485,000 bills were issued for the billing cycle which started on July 8. Of this number, 122,000 customers were billed based on estimated consumption. A further 226,000 were yet to be issued of which 56,000 were to be billed on estimated consumption.

“Even though JPS is authorised to issue estimated bills, it must be recognised that this arrangement was constructed for normal conditions. Under circumstances where many communities have had no power for the majority of the billing period and are already feeling the financial fallout with the restoration of their homes and livelihoods, it cannot be fair for them to be asked to pay for more than what they consume,” OUR Director General Ansord Hewitt pointed out.

In the meantime, Hewitt commended the JPS for other discretionary measures it had taken in the interest of its customers such as relaxing its collection and disconnection process, and facilitating flexible payment arrangements.

He however also urged JPS to make further provision for customers who have not had electricity since July 3 and would not consequently benefit from the 20 per cent discount.

Regarding telecoms providers, the OUR noted that Digicel has restored service to 96 per cent of its mobile customers and 98 per cent of fixed services.

Meanwhile, FLOW has restored service to 92 per cent of mobile customers and 91 per cent of home customers.

editorial@gleanerjm.com