Possible rate increase to save the JPS?

The GOJ of Jamaica may have to reluctantly grant the Jamaica Public Service Company a rate increase to prevent the total collapse of that entity.

JPS is today reeling under the triple whammy  of

• Devaluation
• Oil price increase
• Increase theft of electricity.

No company in Jamaica can operate under the conditions that JPS is doing today, given the MASSIVE theft rate of electricity theft now taking place right across Jamaica.

The theft range from simple throw-ups in the depressed  communities, to contactors and or relays embedded in walls surrounded by foam in uptown communities, to parallel circuits from the pothead and neatly embedded in the concrete column to where these meters are attached, then going to high energy consuming equipment at these locations.

Frankly its a darned shame that Jamaicans appears to have lost all sense of morality, responsibility and honesty as they seek to maintain a lifestyle they can no longer afford.

What have we become, where did it all go wrong and how on earth are we going to regain lost ground.

The problem of electricity theft has become so widespread that even business who would not dream of stealing are doing so having  seen many doing the very same thing and getting away with it.

We now have a situation were the paying few are subsidizing the those stealing. Based on my estimate, we could see a reduction of at least 10% on our electricity bill if JPS was able to cut these losses by 25-30% and even higher if the go up to 50%.

 

What I find even more disturbing is some of these businesses are reluctant to invest money to conserve energy because stealing is a lot more easier and there are many electricians out there willing to help them in this regard.

When caught the simply pay a fine under the condition  that their names are not dragged through the mud.

It’s really very disturbing to see what Jamaica has become and that is largely a den of thieves !