Energy Minister Daryl Vaz has said Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is to provide a proposal to the Government by Friday aimed at addressing public concerns regarding the significant increases in electricity bills in the latest billing cycle.
JPS said the rise in its customers’ electricity bills during the July to August billing period is due to several factors, including a switch from liquified natural gas (LNG) to the more expensive automotive diesel oil (ADO) over about a week last month. This was done due to New Fortress Energy, the LNG supplier, taking the gas facility offline just before Hurricane Beryl to protect it from damage.
At a press conference from the offices of the Ministry of the Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport on Wednesday, Vaz said the Government has been in active conversation with JPS over the issues stemming from what he described as the “unfair” and “unjust” bills that have been sent to customers for the current billing cycle.
“The JPS has promised to present a proposal by Friday of this week to address concerns about the bills sent during the current cycle,” Vaz stated.
He said the Government is waiting “anxiously” on the proposal.
Coming out of a meeting late Tuesday night between himself, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and JPS CEO and President, Hugh Grant, Vaz said Grant has requested more time to do “some recalculations”, and also to have discussions with the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR).
“So that is progress and it gives me hope that there is going to be good news in the coming days,” said Vaz.
Jamaicans on social media have been calling on JPS to roll back the increased amounts on the electricity bills it has issued, citing what they said was the “big jump” in their bills.
The governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has also demanded answers from the light and power company over the bills, and has similarly called for the bills to be rolled back.
