►The full investigation video can be found here: ruclips.net/video/sqpy3NppqwI/видео.html ► Support us on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/jamaicawithirie This year has been quite challenging for us. First the Travel Advisory, then the Hurricane, and now this issue with our utility bills. Despite all these challenges, I absolutely love living in Jamaica, and the reason I created this channel is to promote our beautiful country and all the awesome Jamaican people. I apologize to my dear audience who are expecting positive content only, but I just couldn't turn a blind eye to these particular issues and will continue following them in print. However, I'm going back to my regular video content and working on the next video right now. In the meantime, looking forward to your questions for the JPS documentary or any other suggestions. Thank you all for your support! More content is coming up soon!
My electricity bill skyrocketed from JMD 80,000 to JMD 169,000, despite the fact that my property had no electricity for three weeks and only one person occupying it. This outrageous increase defies logic and raises serious concerns about the integrity of the billing system. Adding insult to injury, all my attempts to resolve this-through letters and emails-have been completely ignored. The lack of accountability is staggering. How can the government of Jamaica stand by while this blatant exploitation continues unchecked? These predatory practices are not just a local issue; they violate basic human rights. It's time for international bodies, such as the International Court of Human Rights, to intervene and hold these entities accountable for their actions. The people of Jamaica deserve better than to be subjected to such blatant robbery.
A similar situation was happening in New York with conEdison and National Grid customers through a third party supplier. The Attorney General intervened and stopped the predatory practices and the company had to reimburse customers and let them out of the 5 year contracts without the $209.00 exit fees. Question is, who is looking out for Jamaicans?
@@dphuntsman yes, but IF the govt cared they do have the power to at least shop around for another for a different company to replace JPS, then negotiate fair terms with enforced transparency and oversight.
@@dphuntsman monopoly for most industries is definitely not the way to go, but Irina’s last vid sorta explains done if the logistics of why it is difficult to have multiple companies at the delivery stage for almost any small nation. What do you think would be the solution, if not a potential replacement of JPS, with better oversight?
@@faithm2535 I hope you are not thinking of deregulation and bringing independent sellers to the market to set their own prices. That will lead to price gouging dishonest sales tactics from door to door unscrupulous sellers. It did not work in Ontario and it is creating headaches for consumers across America.
I am so happy you did this video! This topic needs to go viral to shed light on this issue. I have been livid about my past two JPS bills and plan to do videos myself about the issue on my channel. I am going to definitely direct people to view your channel, you did an excellent job explaining this issue. I am not Jamaican either but decided to do business here a few years ago. I CANNOT believe they can just do this to the people of Jamaica with no repercussions. Some Jamaican people I spoke to told me this is normal for JPS to do what they want and not face consequences. For the month of July my home was occupied for 1 week and my bill was higher than I have ever seen it, even when it’s occupied for 30 days. The timing was horrible, doing this to people after a hurricane. They completely took advantage of a situation…how disgusting. Thank you again for your hard work.
EVERY for profit company will seek to maximize profits, as THAT is their only reason for being in Jamaica. They are not there out of compassion for the citizens.
My post Beryl bill was $65,000 increasing from $35,000. That's almost 100%, and JPS said this is due to increased consumption on my part and higher fuel cost. The thing is I didn't start a wholesale, laundry mart or any form if business at my home after the hurricane. JPS is simply recouping it's Beryl losses from customers.
That would only happy if the electricity provider was in a famous dancehall personality or in a same gender relationship. I cant recall seeing demonstrations about any other topic.
😂😂😂😂😂 yup... even if fuel prices drop our bills can be higher lol. A suh dis country run Irina. No accountability in the government and these companies/agencies
Thank you Irena, this should have been address long time ago time for the people of Jamaica to stand up for their rights, can't trust the government they're so lackadaisical!
I think that the theory you presented in your original video, that the smart meters have somehow malfunctioned due to the hurricane, is a very good one. I'm not Jamaican, but i think that at least some of your questions to JPS should include something like the following: How does JPS explain the INCREASE in a customer's electricity consumption when the customer's service was not operating during some of the month? Has the JPS eliminated the smart meters as a possible cause for the increased electrical consumption? If so, how? How did JPS verify that the smart meters chosen will work reliably in Jamaica's climate?
Question for JPS: When are they going to stop charging paying customers for non-paying customers who live in Spanish Town, Rema, Waterhouse, Dungle, Tivoli, etc.?
Finally someone who notice and voice concerns about these inner-city communities who have free light running every manner of appliance and then we the paying customers have to be paying for their consumption which I honestly believe it has a lot to do with these high bills to recover lost profit especially in the Spanish town area.
@@J.D.M7000 the loss from electricity theft is around 30 mln usd per year. JPS has 692,000 paying customers. Even if the paying customers were the ones paying for electricity theft, it would have only resulted in 600 JMD per month, which is nothing, compared to the actual increase in bills that Jamaicans are facing. So, no, electricity theft cannot be the reason for the increase in bills. Here is the maths: 30,000,000 USD / 692,000 = 43.35 USD per year per customer. 43.35 / 12 months = 3.61 USD per month 3.61 USD x 155 JMD = 559 JMD per month.
Several years ago Ontarians were facing a similar situation and the Ontario Energy Board intervened and we started to see a reduction. When the Ford government came to power he terminated the contract of the CEO who was being paid millions per year. Electricity is still high but not as they were back then. Only the government can implement meaningful changes.
I saw there was an attempt to file a law action suit against Hydro One, but the case was dismissed. Please share more on the Ontario Energy Board intervention if you can, thank you!
My question would be.. When will they truly make an attempt that is genuine in stemming electricity theft. Also are they aware that their own employees are involved in facilitating the theft of electricity by direct involvement in actually connecting customers and also in the selling of wires to steal electricity? Wires taken down from illegal premises are often sold back directly to same people or others to connect service. I worked in Washington DC, NY, MD, Chicago and Virginia for years removing illegal cable connections. I am very familiar with the effort it takes, It is a constant process of wearing some people down to where it just becomes better for them to convert to becoming a paying customer. What I see here is this sporadic scattershot removal then nothing, as if just to say we did something, It is not at all genuine. I think the "loss rate" for electricity in Jamaica is over 22% this is one of the highest in the world. This is also a direct explanation why our electricity rate per KWH is also one of the highest in the world. This has a substantial effect on the cost of every item we purchase here. It also prevents us from effectively competing in all areas. This JPS situation should not be taken lightly, it is hurting us even if you who are reading this has no problem paying your bill every month.
Thank you, Irina. Even those JPS will have staff read questions posted in these comments and be able to prepare sketchy responses… Some questions I would like answered: 1. What specific steps have they taken to identify instances of theft?….in what locations and during which periods of time? 2. What are the areas/locations in which they are experiencing the highest rates of theft?… this would identify where greater detection and reporting efforts are needed, both by local authorities as well as JPS staff. 3. Has JPS thought to create a public education campaign to help citizens and police identify illegal wiring and how to report it IF they cared to?… I’m not sure average persons have the knowledge to definitively recognize an illegal hookup. 4. How is the accounting cost of theft handled on their books?…is it written off as a lost/cost of doing business, or is the cost passed on directly to their customers? Are 3rd party independent auditors involved? 5. Are there legal consequences for electricity theft and have they had any thieves prosecuted, versus just disconnecting their illegal wires? 6. What options do customers have to monitor or confirm that their meters are reading usage for own their residence correctly?..especially for residents whose homes are close to light poles where illegal wires may have been temporarily hooked up by others? 7. Do they have or have they considered programs to reduce pricing for the very poor, or any other incentive for residents to not steal? 8. Do they believe ALL customers should be made to share the cost of theft? 9. Do they provide electricity services in any other island or country trying to that is similar to Jamaica?…and if so, are there similar challenges?…and how are they handled? Ty.
Thanks for the update Irina, my question for JPS is, When do they plan to invest significantly in Solar Power, such as sub-grids within communities or building solar farms to add cleaner and cheaper energy to the grid? I know that customers would be willing to invest even partially to create these sub-grids within communities, and this I believe, if done, can be lower the customer bills while still using diesel and biofuels as backups or night usage
Great update. We have to hold the government liable for some of this. There are various areas (garrisons) that the JPS supplies power to that don’t pay for electricity so the paying customers pay for all those who are protected by the government. JPS is operating a business and until the government tell every user to pay their bill then the few honest customers will continue to pay for everyone else, I truly appreciate your reporting but it does not speak to the missing piece of those who are getting free electricity. Keep up the good work and stay safe as Jamaicans don’t like to be called out.
My bill doubled AND there was no one staying at my apartment. At the very least I should have seen similar trend to the prior month in my bill. I questioned JPS about the 100% increase and they sent me a response with the same B.S. answer about fuel charge. It is really concerning that the Jamaican people are being taken for a ride by JPS and the government is sanctioning it.
You can try to research situations like this with JPS in the past. As far back as the 90's JPS went out on a drive, claiming they were after people that stole electricity. It ended up more like ravaging extortion. MANY SMALL BUSINESSES WERE WIPED OUT BECAUSE OF HIGH ELECTRICITY BILL, and the PNP government was silent. I had a business at that time, which was directly affected. If you hear some of the details, and what they did to people you would probably begin to fear the Jamaican government and utility system. It was no different than what gangsters do with extortion in Spanish Town. IT'S NOT A CURRENT ISSUE! DON'T BE FOOLED!
I know it's not a current issue, nobody is fooling themselves. However, how much evidence do you have for those cases from the past that you can prove? We need to stop the emotions and focus on what works. Do you remember how Al Capone was convicted? Despite his involvement in numerous criminal activities, including bootlegging, gambling, and violence, the authorities couldn’t directly pin those on him. Instead, federal investigators managed to convict Capone on charges of failing to pay taxes on his illegal income. The reason why JPS has been getting away with all it is allowed to do is because people are trying to bring up stuff they cannot prove instead of focusing on just ONE thing they can prove.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE They extorted my business, and they wanted to put my house on commercial (and it seemed they did) because a neighbor ran a woodwork shop in my backyard...but he used light from his own home. So, even though I was showing their 'inspector the wires, he was still demanding that my meter was to be put on 'commercial'...whatever that was.
Both TVJ and CVM could have done a much better job on this, but the problem is - who is going to pay for it? Why would their journalists spend 100 hours working for free and then ALSO get themselves in trouble, because JPS have a lot of powerful friends, many of them advertise with TVJ and CVM... The only reason I'm doing it is because I'm 100% sponsored by my audience at the moment and also because I've been investigating JPS since 2022 for the documentary I want to make about Energy in Jamaica... so I already had a huge portfolio on them, so didn't have to start from scratch.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIEsorry. I didn’t look at from an advertising/revenue perspective. Again you are bang on. Keep up the good work. You’re Jamaica’s Godsend.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE I was wondering what happened to that documentary you had promised 2 years ago. I even wondered if they'd 'got to you' somehow, because at least 2 public figures who were getting close to the truth and said they'd make their findings public, suddenly got re-assigned.
@@camgram9359 ah, well, i've been doing the reaearch. Takes lots of time, especially while working on several projects. I also promised "who owns Jamaica", still getting my portfolio of data on that.
Every day there is a power outrage in my community and for hours my refrigerator had been plunged out .not to mention on the days when no one is home the electricity usage is relatively high. Smh
Question for JPS: It's long been rumoured that JPS deals with loss of earning via theft by charging their customers higher than usual rates. How does JPS account for that loss of income and how can customers be assured that these rumours are not fact?
Thanks again Irina for your hard work. For your meeting with JPS or energy minister please ask if other avenues such as sun, wind or even sourcing power from in the earth which they are even doing in Britain. Burying the power lines I believe will be a huge benefit especially in hurricane times by minimising power cuts thus minimising cost from any damage.
Question: #1 Do they plan on placing the power lines underground? They can start in the housing schemes and then branch off into other areas where possible. #2 Why do I need to be on their grid if I can supply my own electricity? #3 How do a Grid Tie solar setup impact the grid and how does one go about selling JPS the excess electricity produced from Solar? Do they write you a check or do a direct deposit for electricity fed back into the grid?
If I have a solar system, why can't I come off the grid or be discharged from it at a cost or something. If I am creating more power from my system than I am using, why can't the excess be sent back to the grid and maybe returning it to me as a credit? If the system is not built to accommodate that, when will it be with the proliferation of solar systems and the government providing incentives for persons to go solar?
I have an offgrid solar system now, I had JPS before. Don‘t want to be connected with JPS, don‘t want trouble anymore. A liar is a liar. As long as there is a monopoly in utilities sector in Jamaica you can only be the looser as consumer or producer. I am out of the game.
You can it's just the way your system was set up. It's called net billing program so get in touch with relevant authorities if you wanna go that route.
Solar is definitely the way to go, but the problem is that most people may not be able to afford the upfront costs. I heard there are loans one can take out to finance and that the government is offering rebates and tax deductions for installation to primary residences. I dont know much about the government program and how much they are offering. Maybe Irina can look into this as another one of her projects.😊
Irie it's was not like that back then ontil the pnp government sell out jps to private company just like how they sell out air Jamaica now they want to put the blame on Andrew please dig deep in it on you will find out but don't put your self in trouble over this I understand your situation you don't want to get involved too much but it's really the wight way to go investigate thank you Irina one love always 🌹 bless we love you Jamaican style bless
thank you for sharing. I try to stay neutral when it comes to politics, but it is sure difficult with large utility companies, especially regulated ones... and especially when the Government is one of the shareholders. So, sure, I had to look into it and from what I've seen - both parties were involved to a certain extent. Today we have different leaders of these parties and their involvement is different from what it was before. Anyway, it's complicated, yes.
How much can 3 fans and 2 televisions per month ironing is done every fortnight. No washing machine ohhh 1 refrigerator. 3 adults who go to work from 5 in the morning and return between 8 and 10 pm
The government works as JPS strong arm men in this horrible spate of extortion that has been going on for over 30 years. OUR is only JPS PRO...and they will behave like the police man who use psychology to make you feel futility and succumb to the offender. JPS seems to have ways to make even the unreal seem real. It only gets worse. People with their own solar systems are few, but they literally live in Heaven in Jamaica. Well, except those that still determine to use JPS as back up.
I would like Jps to stop the estimating bills and only send out actual readings of what we use each month. It Should never be , we should pay for only what is use , it's a bad disturbing practice. Some months no one is at the house but still am getting a bill as if there is someone there still using energy as usual. This estimating bills needs to stop. Completely. Thank you
Blessings i hope you are well and thanks for all the information it help me alot, i would love for you to ask jps the smart meters on the light poles if it affects my bills if my neighbors stealing electricity, because they cane and install one beside the pole that had the the illegal connection and they did nothing, and I know jps see the connections and they are no doing anything about, but my bills going up and I suspect I'm paying for the illegal connections in my neighborhood, I wish I could just pay for what I use, or the meters makes no sense.
Just to remind the people that Jamaica has vested interest in JPS. If I’m not mistaken, they own 39% of the shares in the light and power company. Therefore, all they do is engage in PR to make the people feel good.
There is a lack of enforcement to the theft of electricity. I have a place in WESTMORELAND and before my meter there are 7 illegal hook ups. I complained about the low voltage and the JPS technicians came and advised me to change my meter box etc but did not acknowledge the illegal hook ups. I didn’t want to report the illegal connections as I fear retaliation from my neighbours. When I asked around, I was told if JPS enforces and disconnects the illegal connections, or tries to prosecute, the local politicians step in and advise JPS to leave the people dem alone. Also, I was told if a person steals electricity and is not registered with JPS it is very difficult for JPS to prosecute. Is this true or what is the real reason JPS turns a blind eye to electric stealing?
The month before the hurricane $10000+ the month after the hurricane my bill was $35700+ I used a lot more current but this is theviery. Because of past experiences I don't expect any results from the o u r or the ministry
Hi Irena I watched several videos after the storm showing a lot of JPS poles damaged ,customers were without service,where is the increase using coming from,how are able to supply the increase with damaged infrastructure 🙏🏾❤️
It's really wise for me to listen to the end before i put my concerned since you mentioned it. When will they put power lines underground? Since i believe it will prevent damage power lines from trees etc during natural disasters
Totally off top but can you do a documentary on the water situation next? I will never understand how a country with so much water has communities that have water only 3 days a month; if they have any at all.
It would be great if your upcoming documentary could unravel the great mystery of how fuel charges are calculated (maybe that's a Petrojam/PCJ documentary instead. Or maybe the JPS doc will necessarily require investigation into their practices too. Hmm...). When Minister Fayval Williams had the Energy portfolio, she had publicly promised (there's a TVJ clip with her saying so) to reveal the mystery to the Jamaican people as soon as her investigation was complete. That is, before she was suddenly reassigned to MOEYI after only 6 months in MSET. Curious.
*Corruption has always & will always exist in Jamaica, regardless government or private companies, and this surprises you ? The people are an income source for both, same for each other...you NEVER have a real friend in JA, just someone hanging on when they want/need something from you*
the current problem with JPS bills is not directly related to corruption or Jamaica as such. Jamaica is just one of the countries dealing with this problem, which is - large utility companies are taking advantage of their monopoly status and overcharge people with the help of smart meters. This exact problem is present in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia etc. In fact, in those countries it's even worse, because they are dealing with this problem longer than Jamaica and still can't win. Just check the list of PG&E issues or ConEdison etc Or Hydro One in Canada, or the issue with smart meters in the UK when people were ridiculously overcharged and nobody is giving money back to them. So, I understand what your comment is about, but it's not the main issue in this situation.
Thank you for your update. I have AC sensors that have reduced my JPS bill until this month. How do you invest in a place that manages unfair treatment of its residence. People are struggling to live and somebody’s pocket is being fattened. I was going to put in an official complaint, but I guess it will not make a difference.
Every complaint makes a difference. Make sure to file an official complaint and explain to them what happened. They will have to reply. Their reply will be your evidence that you can then send to the OUR. The more such complaints they receive - the more they will be pushed to act. The only reason the OUR and the Government are trying to do something to this situation is because of the media coverage, which is happening only because people are complaining. It takes a long time, but in the end - it makes a huge difference. This is how change happens from something negative to positive.
I wrote to our and jps. And they both said the same thing that I used 2 times the electricity I usually do so that’s why my bill was that high even tho my household had one less person for over a month and I was without electricity for over a week
Shame, shame on JPS for always over charging their customers. This has become a habit for JPS for years. Yes I surprised that more people are not complaining about JPS.
My bill went from 20915.56 last month to 17611.71. However, my consumption went up from 301kWh to 304.73kWh. My normal average consumption is around 200-210kWh. They still can't explain the drastic spike in consumption when I have no new appliances and there's hardly anyone at home during the days.
yep, this is exactly the issue I keep talking about. Why is our consumption so much higher after the hurricane? I spoke to one of the people who work in the industry and he said that it might be to do with the voltage fluctuations - regular "outages" and "flickering lights" which might cause the meter to incorrectly record the data. However, I need to gather evidence, because "claims" and "assumptions" prove nothing.
my question is what is going to happen to the excess that was paid? example= if my bill is normally $100 and they charge me $150 and then the next month they drop the bill to $100 again. what happens to the $50 excess that was paid?
Get solar power. You can start small and improve over time like I did .3 months my home 🏡 was locked up breaker off and they charged me the same money for all 3 months and no one was on that property. The power was disconnected. When quizzed about Bill they say it's estimated bills we had to pay 3 months power we didn't use that where i drawn the line with them .do you know how many people has been robbed by this company over the years.
Hi Irene. Love your content. Please ask them about burying the power lines and if whether or not this is seen as a good investment based on the repair cost of recovering after a disaster, or is it that they plan to keep passing on the cost of recovery to us, the customers. Please also ask if they have any plans to reduce their reliance on the highly volatile follil fuels for energy generation.
Hi Irina, i am following you from The Netherlands.. Thanks for the interesting video's regarding Jamaica. I love Jamaica.. Are you wearing traditional Ukrainian clothing ? Looks familiar and nice.. Thanks 🙏
This is my question: Will JPS ever consider decentralizing their business model by having different companies operating the different divisions, namely, Production, Distribution and Transmission and Service [direct to customers]. I don't know the practicality of this method, but it could be the potential solution to the issue of Monopoly. I'd like to hear their response though.
They are doing the same thing for September bill also. I have been using an average of 71kwh for the pass 3 months and for this month it went all the way to 164 kwh. I don't see how that's possible. Been using the same appliances for the past 10 months.
I have a question, have owners checked their electricity metre? It might be a good idea to take a note of the metre reading at the beginning of the month each month. That means you get the reading for the beginning and end of each month. And, take a photo of the metre reading.
Question for JPS: What accounted for the spike in usage on bills though customers were without electricity for days and weeks in the aftermath of the hurricane - all of this while having the same appliances? Please explain.
As a slap in the face, mine went up even more. I have some solar in place, time to invest close to a million dollars Jamaican and cut the JPS wire. Already got the ball rolling on that, enough is enough, especially with this free hot sunshine.
What would be an interesting question going the other way. How many solar customers have JPS paid a cheque to for net billing returns in the last quarter or year?
My elect bill went from $18,000 a month to $36,000 and we didn't have electricity for a week. My question is can there be a grace period or payment plan offered when we have disaster like Beryl that increases the bill? Can there be a subsidies offered to avoid disconnection while recoopersting from a disaster as people might not have the extra funds to pay the uptick in so there should be relief available if a customer applies for said relief-especially when they know there were no electricity to an area for days or weeks. Additionally, can they offer program to people who are in a certain income bracket to pay a reduced consumption fee? Can the government offer a subsidy to be paid to JPS for people who are under certain income bracket? Similar to the social subsidized programs offered to low income families here in the USA?
Solution is simple invest into solar portable power stations even if you pay rent you can have that solar set up If Jamaican people can buy iPhones they can buy solar you can get a good start with 800 to 1000 USD
Also...Why are they allowed to issue two estimated bills per year without any adjustments later after actual reading is done. The NWC does estimated bills sometimes but they usually adjust the bill after the actual is made. If NWC can do it why can't they?
Hmmm, they suppose to do adjustments. When actual readings are taken, it should "adjust" itself automatically, as they would go into the bill and the difference from the "estimated" readings will be calculated. At least this is how all estimated -to-actual is done. If it's different in your case - I would definitely want to know more details please. 🙏 As for NWC - I find that they are just as bad when it comes to estimated bills, so you probably just got lucky with them. One of my friends was receiving highly overpriced "estimated" bills from NWC for 3 years and then they simply removed his meter and installed a new one and did not refund him anything they overcharged.
Let's say, for example, that the normal bill was $100 and August shot up to $160. Now they say they will effectively return to $100 in September and everyone should be happy about the reduction. NO. What about the $60 excess in August. That $60 should be returned or credited, otherwise it's theft; especially regarding storm victims who had an actual decrease in usage. Bringing the bill back down to where it should normally be is fine but what about the August overcharge - that's just stolen money from the consumers unless it is returned.
well, not exactly. The reality is much worse for some customers: 1. before: $100 (for 30 days) 2. after: $300 (for 3 days, because there was no light for the other 27 days). The real bill was supposed to be $10, BUT they charged $300, claiming 160 due to "increase in fuel charge" and 130 extra for fake consumption. 3. now: $100 (for 30 days), claiming "reduction" from 160, while they need to return $290, which was the overcharge from last month for customers with no electricity supply. For those who had electricity supply - yes, it would be from $60 to $150 refund for August if the pre-hurricane bill was "$100"
►The full investigation video can be found here:
ruclips.net/video/sqpy3NppqwI/видео.html
► Support us on Patreon here:
www.patreon.com/jamaicawithirie
This year has been quite challenging for us. First the Travel Advisory, then the Hurricane, and now this issue with our utility bills. Despite all these challenges, I absolutely love living in Jamaica, and the reason I created this channel is to promote our beautiful country and all the awesome Jamaican people. I apologize to my dear audience who are expecting positive content only, but I just couldn't turn a blind eye to these particular issues and will continue following them in print. However, I'm going back to my regular video content and working on the next video right now.
In the meantime, looking forward to your questions for the JPS documentary or any other suggestions. Thank you all for your support! More content is coming up soon!
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE Thanks for this article.
My electricity bill skyrocketed from JMD 80,000 to JMD 169,000, despite the fact that my property had no electricity for three weeks and only one person occupying it. This outrageous increase defies logic and raises serious concerns about the integrity of the billing system. Adding insult to injury, all my attempts to resolve this-through letters and emails-have been completely ignored. The lack of accountability is staggering. How can the government of Jamaica stand by while this blatant exploitation continues unchecked? These predatory practices are not just a local issue; they violate basic human rights. It's time for international bodies, such as the International Court of Human Rights, to intervene and hold these entities accountable for their actions. The people of Jamaica deserve better than to be subjected to such blatant robbery.
Call Essential Solar ltd. for a quote. I built my own DIY solar system and now only use JPS as my standby power.
If you can, please send the details of your case to my email, jamaicawithirie@gmail.com 🙏 I will get back to you.
The government does not care, OUR does not care. They clearly made up your bill and have no intention to reduce it.
A similar situation was happening in New York with conEdison and National Grid customers through a third party supplier. The Attorney General intervened and stopped the predatory practices and the company had to reimburse customers and let them out of the 5 year contracts without the $209.00 exit fees. Question is, who is looking out for Jamaicans?
@@kylelee5966mercy, that's over $1100 USA. That's highway robbery!!
Whomever thought that there would be a reduction in bills, is a damn fool. Government is too easy on JPS.
The problem is that JPS is a monopoly; so it’s not really the government that is in control- the monopoly really is in control, and they know it.
@@dphuntsman yes, but IF the govt cared they do have the power to at least shop around for another for a different company to replace JPS, then negotiate fair terms with enforced transparency and oversight.
@@faithm2535 Replacing one monopoly with another is probably not the solution.
@@dphuntsman monopoly for most industries is definitely not the way to go, but Irina’s last vid sorta explains done if the logistics of why it is difficult to have multiple companies at the delivery stage for almost any small nation. What do you think would be the solution, if not a potential replacement of JPS, with better oversight?
@@faithm2535 I hope you are not thinking of deregulation and bringing independent sellers to the market to set their own prices. That will lead to price gouging dishonest sales tactics from door to door unscrupulous sellers. It did not work in Ontario and it is creating headaches for consumers across America.
The fact that there is a chance this conversation may happen is amazing. Appriciate you 💜
You are indeed an honorary Jamaican.
I am so happy you did this video! This topic needs to go viral to shed light on this issue. I have been livid about my past two JPS bills and plan to do videos myself about the issue on my channel. I am going to definitely direct people to view your channel, you did an excellent job explaining this issue. I am not Jamaican either but decided to do business here a few years ago. I CANNOT believe they can just do this to the people of Jamaica with no repercussions. Some Jamaican people I spoke to told me this is normal for JPS to do what they want and not face consequences.
For the month of July my home was occupied for 1 week and my bill was higher than I have ever seen it, even when it’s occupied for 30 days. The timing was horrible, doing this to people after a hurricane. They completely took advantage of a situation…how disgusting.
Thank you again for your hard work.
There is so much greed and criminality in our service provision! They are sickening!
EVERY for profit company will seek to maximize profits, as THAT is their only reason for being in Jamaica. They are not there out of compassion for the citizens.
We need to stand together!
😂 you talking about jamaican ppl?
My post Beryl bill was $65,000 increasing from $35,000. That's almost 100%, and JPS said this is due to increased consumption on my part and higher fuel cost. The thing is I didn't start a wholesale, laundry mart or any form if business at my home after the hurricane. JPS is simply recouping it's Beryl losses from customers.
The people need to get out and voice their concerns about what they think about this situation.
@@judithpamelablack5873 I'm ready for this anytime
That would only happy if the electricity provider was in a famous dancehall personality or in a same gender relationship. I cant recall seeing demonstrations about any other topic.
Class action lawsuit is the way to go
😂😂😂😂😂 yup... even if fuel prices drop our bills can be higher lol. A suh dis country run Irina. No accountability in the government and these companies/agencies
Who is responsible for holding governments accountable?
Thank you Irena, this should have been address long time ago time for the people of Jamaica to stand up for their rights, can't trust the government they're so lackadaisical!
This needs to be shared with the major news outlets. JPS clearly hasn't responded to the pressure yet, so let's show them that we mean business
Yep, I'm working on this.
Jps have too much power over electricity supply
I think that the theory you presented in your original video, that the smart meters have somehow malfunctioned due to the hurricane, is a very good one.
I'm not Jamaican, but i think that at least some of your questions to JPS should include something like the following:
How does JPS explain the INCREASE in a customer's electricity consumption when the customer's service was not operating during some of the month?
Has the JPS eliminated the smart meters as a possible cause for the increased electrical consumption? If so, how?
How did JPS verify that the smart meters chosen will work reliably in Jamaica's climate?
Thank you so much for sharing! 🙏
Question for JPS: When are they going to stop charging paying customers for non-paying customers who live in Spanish Town, Rema, Waterhouse, Dungle, Tivoli, etc.?
Thank you for sharing. Yes, will definitely raise the questions about electricity theft, one of the key topics. 🙏
Finally someone who notice and voice concerns about these inner-city communities who have free light running every manner of appliance and then we the paying customers have to be paying for their consumption which I honestly believe it has a lot to do with these high bills to recover lost profit especially in the Spanish town area.
@@J.D.M7000 the loss from electricity theft is around 30 mln usd per year. JPS has 692,000 paying customers. Even if the paying customers were the ones paying for electricity theft, it would have only resulted in 600 JMD per month, which is nothing, compared to the actual increase in bills that Jamaicans are facing. So, no, electricity theft cannot be the reason for the increase in bills.
Here is the maths:
30,000,000 USD / 692,000 = 43.35 USD per year per customer.
43.35 / 12 months = 3.61 USD per month
3.61 USD x 155 JMD = 559 JMD per month.
Big you self Irie very good job
Several years ago Ontarians were facing a similar situation and the Ontario Energy Board intervened and we started to see a reduction. When the Ford government came to power he terminated the contract of the CEO who was being paid millions per year. Electricity is still high but not as they were back then. Only the government can implement meaningful changes.
I saw there was an attempt to file a law action suit against Hydro One, but the case was dismissed. Please share more on the Ontario Energy Board intervention if you can, thank you!
Thank you for work on our behalf.
My question would be.. When will they truly make an attempt that is genuine in stemming electricity theft. Also are they aware that their own employees are involved in facilitating the theft of electricity by direct involvement in actually connecting customers and also in the selling of wires to steal electricity? Wires taken down from illegal premises are often sold back directly to same people or others to connect service. I worked in Washington DC, NY, MD, Chicago and Virginia for years removing illegal cable connections. I am very familiar with the effort it takes, It is a constant process of wearing some people down to where it just becomes better for them to convert to becoming a paying customer. What I see here is this sporadic scattershot removal then nothing, as if just to say we did something, It is not at all genuine. I think the "loss rate" for electricity in Jamaica is over 22% this is one of the highest in the world. This is also a direct explanation why our electricity rate per KWH is also one of the highest in the world. This has a substantial effect on the cost of every item we purchase here. It also prevents us from effectively competing in all areas. This JPS situation should not be taken lightly, it is hurting us even if you who are reading this has no problem paying your bill every month.
Thank you so much for sharing this! Taking notes.
Your insight into this is amazing. Are you in Jamaica now? Let me know please if I can contact you for more info 🙏 My email jamaicawithirie@gmail.com
@MrDonKing1967. Excellent comment! My question is also around the issue of theft.
Thank you, Irina. Even those JPS will have staff read questions posted in these comments and be able to prepare sketchy responses… Some questions I would like answered:
1. What specific steps have they taken to identify instances of theft?….in what locations and during which periods of time?
2. What are the areas/locations in which they are experiencing the highest rates of theft?… this would identify where greater detection and reporting efforts are needed, both by local authorities as well as JPS staff.
3. Has JPS thought to create a public education campaign to help citizens and police identify illegal wiring and how to report it IF they cared to?… I’m not sure average persons have the knowledge to definitively recognize an illegal hookup.
4. How is the accounting cost of theft handled on their books?…is it written off as a lost/cost of doing business, or is the cost passed on directly to their customers? Are 3rd party independent auditors involved?
5. Are there legal consequences for electricity theft and have they had any thieves prosecuted, versus just disconnecting their illegal wires?
6. What options do customers have to monitor or confirm that their meters are reading usage for own their residence correctly?..especially for residents whose homes are close to light poles where illegal wires may have been temporarily hooked up by others?
7. Do they have or have they considered programs to reduce pricing for the very poor, or any other incentive for residents to not steal?
8. Do they believe ALL customers should be made to share the cost of theft?
9. Do they provide electricity services in any other island or country trying to that is similar to Jamaica?…and if so, are there similar challenges?…and how are they handled?
Ty.
A class action lawsuit against JPS is imperative. I will support it!
The facts 💯 👏 🙌🏻 😌 🤧 👌 🇯🇲🇬🇧🏴🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Thanks for your hard work. This follow-up is timely and helpful. Let's see the response of the power that be.
Thanks for the update Irina, my question for JPS is, When do they plan to invest significantly in Solar Power, such as sub-grids within communities or building solar farms to add cleaner and cheaper energy to the grid? I know that customers would be willing to invest even partially to create these sub-grids within communities, and this I believe, if done, can be lower the customer bills while still using diesel and biofuels as backups or night usage
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US INFORMED WITH EXPLANATION. 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲💯👌🏿👍🏿
Great update. We have to hold the government liable for some of this. There are various areas (garrisons) that the JPS supplies power to that don’t pay for electricity so the paying customers pay for all those who are protected by the government. JPS is operating a business and until the government tell every user to pay their bill then the few honest customers will continue to pay for everyone else, I truly appreciate your reporting but it does not speak to the missing piece of those who are getting free electricity. Keep up the good work and stay safe as Jamaicans don’t like to be called out.
I tried to click the like button while clicking on the thumbnail. Yes, I know it’s going to be good.
Thanks for pointing this out. The stores do that to us too😊
My bill doubled AND there was no one staying at my apartment. At the very least I should have seen similar trend to the prior month in my bill. I questioned JPS about the 100% increase and they sent me a response with the same B.S. answer about fuel charge. It is really concerning that the Jamaican people are being taken for a ride by JPS and the government is sanctioning it.
Blessings ,Please keep up the Great Work!
Hey! I am not even there and my bill went up. We come back in October. I can't wait to see what happens.
Investigation needs to be done on FLOW also....charges for internet that was not used during the month of July...
The Government, OUR & JPS playing games
This is a great presentation. Thank you for highlighting this issue.
I have realised that as well.
Halfway through watching this video and I turned off my fan 😂😂😂.
You can try to research situations like this with JPS in the past. As far back as the 90's JPS went out on a drive, claiming they were after people that stole electricity. It ended up more like ravaging extortion. MANY SMALL BUSINESSES WERE WIPED OUT BECAUSE OF HIGH ELECTRICITY BILL, and the PNP government was silent. I had a business at that time, which was directly affected. If you hear some of the details, and what they did to people you would probably begin to fear the Jamaican government and utility system. It was no different than what gangsters do with extortion in Spanish Town.
IT'S NOT A CURRENT ISSUE! DON'T BE FOOLED!
I know it's not a current issue, nobody is fooling themselves. However, how much evidence do you have for those cases from the past that you can prove? We need to stop the emotions and focus on what works. Do you remember how Al Capone was convicted? Despite his involvement in numerous criminal activities, including bootlegging, gambling, and violence, the authorities couldn’t directly pin those on him. Instead, federal investigators managed to convict Capone on charges of failing to pay taxes on his illegal income.
The reason why JPS has been getting away with all it is allowed to do is because people are trying to bring up stuff they cannot prove instead of focusing on just ONE thing they can prove.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE They extorted my business, and they wanted to put my house on commercial (and it seemed they did) because a neighbor ran a woodwork shop in my backyard...but he used light from his own home. So, even though I was showing their 'inspector the wires, he was still demanding that my meter was to be put on 'commercial'...whatever that was.
@@highthoughts1 oh wow, can you please email the details of this situation to me? If you can share them of course, thank you 🙏
With respect to you and much gratitude for the work that you are doing, where is TVJ and CVM? Don’t they do investigative journalism anymore?
Both TVJ and CVM could have done a much better job on this, but the problem is - who is going to pay for it? Why would their journalists spend 100 hours working for free and then ALSO get themselves in trouble, because JPS have a lot of powerful friends, many of them advertise with TVJ and CVM... The only reason I'm doing it is because I'm 100% sponsored by my audience at the moment and also because I've been investigating JPS since 2022 for the documentary I want to make about Energy in Jamaica... so I already had a huge portfolio on them, so didn't have to start from scratch.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIEsorry. I didn’t look at from an advertising/revenue perspective. Again you are bang on. Keep up the good work. You’re Jamaica’s Godsend.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE I was wondering what happened to that documentary you had promised 2 years ago. I even wondered if they'd 'got to you' somehow, because at least 2 public figures who were getting close to the truth and said they'd make their findings public, suddenly got re-assigned.
@@camgram9359 ah, well, i've been doing the reaearch. Takes lots of time, especially while working on several projects. I also promised "who owns Jamaica", still getting my portfolio of data on that.
Every day there is a power outrage in my community and for hours my refrigerator had been plunged out .not to mention on the days when no one is home the electricity usage is relatively high. Smh
My light bill was $4005 didn't have electricity for 3 weeks from hurricane beryl and this month $9300 it doubled
Question for JPS: It's long been rumoured that JPS deals with loss of earning via theft by charging their customers higher than usual rates. How does JPS account for that loss of income and how can customers be assured that these rumours are not fact?
Thank you! 🙏
Good evening miss irie
What J P S doing giving a six for a nine big up Irie for the this eye opener 😢
Thanks again Irina for your hard work. For your meeting with JPS or energy minister please ask if other avenues such as sun, wind or even sourcing power from in the earth which they are even doing in Britain. Burying the power lines I believe will be a huge benefit especially in hurricane times by minimising power cuts thus minimising cost from any damage.
Absolutely no accountable, welcome to Jamaica oligarchs
Bless up enuh tr888
Question:
#1
Do they plan on placing the power lines underground? They can start in the housing schemes and then branch off into other areas where possible.
#2
Why do I need to be on their grid if I can supply my own electricity?
#3
How do a Grid Tie solar setup impact the grid and how does one go about selling JPS the excess electricity produced from Solar? Do they write you a check or do a direct deposit for electricity fed back into the grid?
If I have a solar system, why can't I come off the grid or be discharged from it at a cost or something.
If I am creating more power from my system than I am using, why can't the excess be sent back to the grid and maybe returning it to me as a credit? If the system is not built to accommodate that, when will it be with the proliferation of solar systems and the government providing incentives for persons to go solar?
I have an offgrid solar system now, I had JPS before.
Don‘t want to be connected with JPS, don‘t want trouble anymore.
A liar is a liar.
As long as there is a monopoly in utilities sector in Jamaica you can only be the looser as consumer or producer.
I am out of the game.
You can it's just the way your system was set up. It's called net billing program so get in touch with relevant authorities if you wanna go that route.
I sell my excess to JPS
Solar is definitely the way to go, but the problem is that most people may not be able to afford the upfront costs. I heard there are loans one can take out to finance and that the government is offering rebates and tax deductions for installation to primary residences. I dont know much about the government program and how much they are offering. Maybe Irina can look into this as another one of her projects.😊
Thank you for this detailed explanation
Really appreciate the hard work your doing.
I love you irie.
Irene, JPS has never been held accountable, their goal is to keep the customers confused.
Irie it's was not like that back then ontil the pnp government sell out jps to private company just like how they sell out air Jamaica now they want to put the blame on Andrew please dig deep in it on you will find out but don't put your self in trouble over this I understand your situation you don't want to get involved too much but it's really the wight way to go investigate thank you Irina one love always 🌹 bless we love you Jamaican style bless
thank you for sharing. I try to stay neutral when it comes to politics, but it is sure difficult with large utility companies, especially regulated ones... and especially when the Government is one of the shareholders. So, sure, I had to look into it and from what I've seen - both parties were involved to a certain extent. Today we have different leaders of these parties and their involvement is different from what it was before. Anyway, it's complicated, yes.
Good Day !
How much can 3 fans and 2 televisions per month ironing is done every fortnight.
No washing machine ohhh 1 refrigerator. 3 adults who go to work from 5 in the morning and return between 8 and 10 pm
The government works as JPS strong arm men in this horrible spate of extortion that has been going on for over 30 years. OUR is only JPS PRO...and they will behave like the police man who use psychology to make you feel futility and succumb to the offender. JPS seems to have ways to make even the unreal seem real.
It only gets worse. People with their own solar systems are few, but they literally live in Heaven in Jamaica. Well, except those that still determine to use JPS as back up.
I would like Jps to stop the estimating bills and only send out actual readings of what we use each month. It Should never be , we should pay for only what is use , it's a bad disturbing practice. Some months no one is at the house but still am getting a bill as if there is someone there still using energy as usual. This estimating bills needs to stop. Completely. Thank you
Blessings i hope you are well and thanks for all the information it help me alot, i would love for you to ask jps the smart meters on the light poles if it affects my bills if my neighbors stealing electricity, because they cane and install one beside the pole that had the the illegal connection and they did nothing, and I know jps see the connections and they are no doing anything about, but my bills going up and I suspect I'm paying for the illegal connections in my neighborhood, I wish I could just pay for what I use, or the meters makes no sense.
Thank you so much for sharing this situation, noted!
Shameful. JPS is in the scamming business!
Just to remind the people that Jamaica has vested interest in JPS. If I’m not mistaken, they own 39% of the shares in the light and power company. Therefore, all they do is engage in PR to make the people feel good.
do you mean the Government of Jamaica? They have 19.9%. But yes, the news recently does look like a PR campaign.
There is a lack of enforcement to the theft of electricity. I have a place in WESTMORELAND and before my meter there are 7 illegal hook ups. I complained about the low voltage and the JPS technicians came and advised me to change my meter box etc but did not acknowledge the illegal hook ups. I didn’t want to report the illegal connections as I fear retaliation from my neighbours. When I asked around, I was told if JPS enforces and disconnects the illegal connections, or tries to prosecute, the local politicians step in and advise JPS to leave the people dem alone. Also, I was told if a person steals electricity and is not registered with JPS it is very difficult for JPS to prosecute. Is this true or what is the real reason JPS turns a blind eye to electric stealing?
The month before the hurricane $10000+ the month after the hurricane my bill was $35700+ I used a lot more current but this is theviery. Because of past experiences I don't expect any results from the o u r or the ministry
smokes... AND mirrors.... MAGIC!!
Thats an amazing question, "When will they bury the power lines?"
When are they going to stop charge me the paying customer for the non paying customer?
Hi Irena
I watched several videos after the storm showing a lot of JPS poles damaged ,customers were without service,where is the increase using coming from,how are able to supply the increase with damaged infrastructure
🙏🏾❤️
this is precisely the problem. When such customers contact JPS they get a reply that the readings are actual.., which is crazy.
It's really wise for me to listen to the end before i put my concerned since you mentioned it.
When will they put power lines underground?
Since i believe it will prevent damage power lines from trees etc during natural disasters
Totally off top but can you do a documentary on the water situation next? I will never understand how a country with so much water has communities that have water only 3 days a month; if they have any at all.
It would be great if your upcoming documentary could unravel the great mystery of how fuel charges are calculated (maybe that's a Petrojam/PCJ documentary instead. Or maybe the JPS doc will necessarily require investigation into their practices too. Hmm...). When Minister Fayval Williams had the Energy portfolio, she had publicly promised (there's a TVJ clip with her saying so) to reveal the mystery to the Jamaican people as soon as her investigation was complete. That is, before she was suddenly reassigned to MOEYI after only 6 months in MSET. Curious.
*Corruption has always & will always exist in Jamaica, regardless government or private companies, and this surprises you ? The people are an income source for both, same for each other...you NEVER have a real friend in JA, just someone hanging on when they want/need something from you*
the current problem with JPS bills is not directly related to corruption or Jamaica as such. Jamaica is just one of the countries dealing with this problem, which is - large utility companies are taking advantage of their monopoly status and overcharge people with the help of smart meters. This exact problem is present in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia etc. In fact, in those countries it's even worse, because they are dealing with this problem longer than Jamaica and still can't win. Just check the list of PG&E issues or ConEdison etc Or Hydro One in Canada, or the issue with smart meters in the UK when people were ridiculously overcharged and nobody is giving money back to them. So, I understand what your comment is about, but it's not the main issue in this situation.
Thank you for your update. I have AC sensors that have reduced my JPS bill until this month. How do you invest in a place that manages unfair treatment of its residence. People are struggling to live and somebody’s pocket is being fattened. I was going to put in an official complaint, but I guess it will not make a difference.
Every complaint makes a difference. Make sure to file an official complaint and explain to them what happened. They will have to reply. Their reply will be your evidence that you can then send to the OUR. The more such complaints they receive - the more they will be pushed to act. The only reason the OUR and the Government are trying to do something to this situation is because of the media coverage, which is happening only because people are complaining. It takes a long time, but in the end - it makes a huge difference. This is how change happens from something negative to positive.
I wrote to our and jps. And they both said the same thing that I used 2 times the electricity I usually do so that’s why my bill was that high even tho my household had one less person for over a month and I was without electricity for over a week
Time to go off-grid. There is plenty of sunshine in Jamaica!
Shame, shame on JPS for always over charging their customers. This has become a habit for JPS for years. Yes I surprised that more people are not complaining about JPS.
My bill went from 20915.56 last month to 17611.71. However, my consumption went up from 301kWh to 304.73kWh. My normal average consumption is around 200-210kWh. They still can't explain the drastic spike in consumption when I have no new appliances and there's hardly anyone at home during the days.
yep, this is exactly the issue I keep talking about. Why is our consumption so much higher after the hurricane? I spoke to one of the people who work in the industry and he said that it might be to do with the voltage fluctuations - regular "outages" and "flickering lights" which might cause the meter to incorrectly record the data. However, I need to gather evidence, because "claims" and "assumptions" prove nothing.
@@JAMAICAWITHIRIE Interesting. The flickering and outages have been happening a lot in my area recently.
@@jayrome8764 yep, same in my case, and each time it happens - the "consumption" spikes.
by bill went from average 35k to 60k since the hurricane
My electricity doubled in one month. The highest it's ever been in 30+ years. I'm not talking about the dollar value but the kWh usage
my question is what is going to happen to the excess that was paid? example= if my bill is normally $100 and they charge me $150 and then the next month they drop the bill to $100 again. what happens to the $50 excess that was paid?
Look how long JPS is around. Do they see the necessity to install street lights blanketing the country to fight crime. Jamaica.
Get solar power. You can start small and improve over time like I did .3 months my home 🏡 was locked up breaker off and they charged me the same money for all 3 months and no one was on that property. The power was disconnected. When quizzed about Bill they say it's estimated bills we had to pay 3 months power we didn't use that where i drawn the line with them .do you know how many people has been robbed by this company over the years.
The Jamaican UIC Party Family !!!...
Hi Irene. Love your content. Please ask them about burying the power lines and if whether or not this is seen as a good investment based on the repair cost of recovering after a disaster, or is it that they plan to keep passing on the cost of recovery to us, the customers. Please also ask if they have any plans to reduce their reliance on the highly volatile follil fuels for energy generation.
Not 1 reduction in my bill, went up higher. I hate JPS
wow
I hope people little by little start doinv solar for themselves. Get a loan or buy it little by little. Sick a dem
@@jlinb7783 Thats what i did, started out with one little 40 watt panel, now i have four 450 watt panels. My light bill is around $1,500.00
Hi Irina, i am following you from The Netherlands.. Thanks for the interesting video's regarding Jamaica. I love Jamaica.. Are you wearing traditional Ukrainian clothing ? Looks familiar and nice.. Thanks 🙏
Talking and doing nothing to solve it, won't work. The poor will always suffer. SMH.
This is my question:
Will JPS ever consider decentralizing their business model by having different companies operating the different divisions, namely, Production, Distribution and Transmission and Service [direct to customers].
I don't know the practicality of this method, but it could be the potential solution to the issue of Monopoly. I'd like to hear their response though.
thank you for sharing! 👍
They are doing the same thing for September bill also. I have been using an average of 71kwh for the pass 3 months and for this month it went all the way to 164 kwh. I don't see how that's possible. Been using the same appliances for the past 10 months.
Jamaica need another utility company , JPS have too much power over , people of jamaica ,JPS wicked killing the people,
I have a question, have owners checked their electricity metre? It might be a good idea to take a note of the metre reading at the beginning of the month each month. That means you get the reading for the beginning and end of each month. And, take a photo of the metre reading.
My bill was 13,000 hoping it will be lower this month
Question for JPS: What accounted for the spike in usage on bills though customers were without electricity for days and weeks in the aftermath of the hurricane - all of this while having the same appliances?
Please explain.
As a slap in the face, mine went up even more. I have some solar in place, time to invest close to a million dollars Jamaican and cut the JPS wire. Already got the ball rolling on that, enough is enough, especially with this free hot sunshine.
What would be an interesting question going the other way. How many solar customers have JPS paid a cheque to for net billing returns in the last quarter or year?
They just adjust fuel and ipp to compensate for the reduction in consumption
well, they have increased consumption. After the hurricane, their customers recorded "high consumption" even when they had no light 🤷♀
My elect bill went from $18,000 a month to $36,000 and we didn't have electricity for a week.
My question is can there be a grace period or payment plan offered when we have disaster like Beryl that increases the bill? Can there be a subsidies offered to avoid disconnection while recoopersting from a disaster as people might not have the extra funds to pay the uptick in so there should be relief available if a customer applies for said relief-especially when they know there were no electricity to an area for days or weeks. Additionally, can they offer program to people who are in a certain income bracket to pay a reduced consumption fee? Can the government offer a subsidy to be paid to JPS for people who are under certain income bracket? Similar to the social subsidized programs offered to low income families here in the USA?
Solution is simple invest into solar portable power stations even if you pay rent you can have that solar set up
If Jamaican people can buy iPhones they can buy solar you can get a good start with 800 to 1000 USD
Also...Why are they allowed to issue two estimated bills per year without any adjustments later after actual reading is done. The NWC does estimated bills sometimes but they usually adjust the bill after the actual is made. If NWC can do it why can't they?
Hmmm, they suppose to do adjustments. When actual readings are taken, it should "adjust" itself automatically, as they would go into the bill and the difference from the "estimated" readings will be calculated. At least this is how all estimated -to-actual is done. If it's different in your case - I would definitely want to know more details please. 🙏
As for NWC - I find that they are just as bad when it comes to estimated bills, so you probably just got lucky with them. One of my friends was receiving highly overpriced "estimated" bills from NWC for 3 years and then they simply removed his meter and installed a new one and did not refund him anything they overcharged.
Let's say, for example, that the normal bill was $100 and August shot up to $160. Now they say they will effectively return to $100 in September and everyone should be happy about the reduction. NO. What about the $60 excess in August. That $60 should be returned or credited, otherwise it's theft; especially regarding storm victims who had an actual decrease in usage. Bringing the bill back down to where it should normally be is fine but what about the August overcharge - that's just stolen money from the consumers unless it is returned.
well, not exactly. The reality is much worse for some customers:
1. before: $100 (for 30 days)
2. after: $300 (for 3 days, because there was no light for the other 27 days).
The real bill was supposed to be $10, BUT they charged $300, claiming 160 due to "increase in fuel charge" and 130 extra for fake consumption.
3. now: $100 (for 30 days), claiming "reduction" from 160, while they need to return $290, which was the overcharge from last month for customers with no electricity supply.
For those who had electricity supply - yes, it would be from $60 to $150 refund for August if the pre-hurricane bill was "$100"
Something needs to be done about JPS. We have to fight back or get the government involved somehow
Just charge stop telling people about fuel charge, is the people using fuel? The company is used in the fuel!!