Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers grappling with soaring electricity bills in August may need to wait longer for relief, as the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has indicated that adjustments will be implemented in the September billing cycle instead of retroactively for August.
At a recent media briefing, OUR officials clarified that it is challenging to make changes to bills that have already been issued. As a result, the OUR is actively discussing with JPS how to manage the upcoming September electricity charges to provide some relief to consumers.
This news might disappoint many JPS customers who had hoped for immediate adjustments to their unexpectedly high August bills, which saw increases ranging from 30 to 100 percent. These hopes were raised by Energy Minister Daryl Vaz, who, at a press conference earlier in the week, assured the public that JPS would submit a proposal to address the excessive charges.
“The Government is strong and insistent that a complete roll-back of the increases is the only thing that will make this Government and this minister happy, and I think that it is achievable and attainable,” Minister Vaz had asserted.
However, OUR Director General Ansord Hewitt explained that instructions will be provided to JPS on handling September bills rather than trying to alter August bills after the fact. “We can’t do it retrospectively,” Hewitt said, pointing out that some customers have already made payments for August.
In light of these challenges, Hewitt hinted at the possibility of extending the suspension of JPS’s disconnection policy for non-payment. Currently, JPS has halted disconnections until September 15, while the OUR continues its investigation into the billing issues. “We have to do our investigation as expeditiously as possible, and if the need arises to extend the disconnection timeline, we’ll advise them accordingly,” Hewitt added.
At the same press conference, Vaz announced relief measures for customers impacted by power outages due to Hurricane Beryl, which affected Jamaica on July 3. He confirmed that customers without power during most of the August billing cycle would not be required to pay those bills, and JPS would issue revised bills showing zero consumption for those affected.
However, there has been no similar reprieve for customers who did not lose power but still faced substantial increases in their electricity bills. Vaz also mentioned that JPS will continue offering flexible payment plans for those needing extra time to settle their bills, with each request evaluated individually.
As discussions between OUR and JPS continue, customers eagerly await a solution to the billing crisis, hoping for more substantial relief in the coming weeks.
