JPS Gets Tough On Electricity Theft...Reactions?

Treasure Beach Forum: TB Runnin's: JPS Gets Tough On Electricity Theft...Reactions?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Z on Thursday, April 04, 2013 - 08:33 am: Edit Post

Jamaica has some of the highest rates for electricity in the Caribbean. And with unemployment at 12 percent (??), many people in the poorest communities have devised ways of getting electricity for free, though illegally. Jamaica's main electricity supplier has lost millions of dollars over the years through this theft.
Now they have finally decided to crack down by cutting whole communities off the grid.


...The average consumer pays around $75 a month -- which for some is a third of their salary.

The electricity company, however, has had enough of electricity theft and whole communities have now been completely cut off. Many worry that cutting the power off could lead to violence. The disconnection of this entire neighborhood has seen an increased security presence to make sure it doesn't flare up, but there are entire generations who have never paid in parts of the city.

JPS is the sole distributor of electricity in the country. Last year alone, 15 percent of their total output was stolen, $30 million worth.

But Audrey Williams, a communications officer for JPS, says it's not only poor people who steal electricity.

"It spans the range, we are talking about every type of residential customer, business customers," says Williams.


BBC World Service Link:
www.marketplace.org/topics/world/bbc-world-service/jamaican-power-company-reacts -electricity-theft

Solarbuzz Link:
www.solarbuzzjamaica.com/2012/09/jps-loses-us30m-to-electricity-theft

Gleaner Link to OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) & THEIRS:
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090313/lead/lead3.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By be the change you want to see on Thursday, April 04, 2013 - 08:39 pm: Edit Post

[edited by TB.Net] Go solar! Jamaica have an abundance of wind and sunshine!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Karen Kennedy on Friday, April 05, 2013 - 06:28 am: Edit Post

I would suggest that many people believe JPS is ripping them off. I feel certain that almost everyone in Treasure Beach has at least one "JPS horror" story to tell--whether it be outrageous bills that continue to get more outrageous, unexplained interruptions in service, power surges that ruin expensive appliances, and so forth.

Here's a letter to the editor from today's Gleaner: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130405/letters/letters1.html?fb_action_ids= 10201086814032089%2C10201086754670605&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=ot her_multiline&action_object_map=

That letter, to me, is mild compared to the tales of woe that thousands of others could tell.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Beth on Saturday, April 06, 2013 - 03:27 pm: Edit Post

I've seen read and heard enough to convince me that solar is the way to go especially if you are doing a new build. It seems that fuel suppliers the world over are ripping off consumers at an alarming rate.Just a few days ago one supplier in the UK was fined £10.5m for their dishonesty.A friend of mine was recently charged over £1000 for their gas and electricity over a 3 month period. I know families who are having to choose between buying basic necessities and paying their fuel bill. It's become a regular news feature and it is getting worse.