JPS Warns That Customers Will SUFFER More After The OUR’S Cease and Desist Order

The Jamaica Public Service’s (JPS)President and Ceo, Michel Gantois has given a statement where it concerns the Office Of Utilities Regulation’s (OUR) decision to pause their Transformer Protection Programme that they have already started a pilot test for.

According to Gantois, JPS fears that customers will be experiencing outages more regularly for longer times since the OUR restricted their programme implemented to protect their transformers from overloads.

The Power company received a direct cease and desist order, after responding to the Office of Utilities Regulation just this month after they were sent a message earlier this year based on electricity outage complaints in several communities islandwide.

This is important for JPS because according to their president, it is quite an expensive feat to replace equipment noting that between the period of January 2020, and August 2021 there has been a total replacement expense of 25 million dollars.

The president also expressed shock as to the reason why the OUR would make such a decision knowing that the process of giving customers reliable service, due to the reality of recurring damages will find them having to send out a personnel to replace equipment, which Gantois stated would be damaged again eventually as a result of the overloads.

Gantois also stated that it is an unfair circumstance, knowing that JPS and paying customers will be the ones to face the cost and outages.

As such the president of the power company expressed hopes that the OUR’s decision after their investigation will be one of balance, with Gantois adding that it is JPS’s responsibility to protect their equipment to ensure reliability.

Nonetheless, the Ceo of the power company stated that there will be consequences to be borne by those who operate their businesses or work at home since they are likely to experience longer and more frequent outages.