‘Sue them’
Paulwell reminds Jamaicans they have the right to take legal action against JPS over voltage issues
OPPOSITION spokesperson on energy and climate change Phillip Paulwell is warning Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) that its customers could take them to court to seek compensation for damage to appliances caused by low voltage issues in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.
Paulwell reminded consumers of their rights under the law as he responded to a parliamentary statement on Tuesday by Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Daryl Vaz in which he gave an update on JPS’s power restoration exercise.
“I want to bring one matter to the attention of the JPS, that as they restore electricity, people are getting fluctuations in voltage. And I have to warn the JPS: Some time ago I passed a Jamaica consumer protection law that gave the consumers rights, and if their refrigeration, if their equipment, are damaged during low voltage, they can go to court and sue the JPS to recover significant damages. So, I’m warning JPS to be careful as you go about this period of restoration to make sure that your voltage is correct,” said Paulwell.
The Consumer Protection Act 2005, which was piloted by Paulwell in the House of Representatives when he was minister of commerce, science and technology, enables providers and consumers to seek mediation services before taking matters to be settled by the court, and provides redress through Consumer Affairs Commision (CAC).
Phillips also issued a warning to JPS as he noted that consumers are now seeking alternative sources of power because the price of electricity supplied by the JPS is too high.
“That has been a phenomenon for some time but has gotten worse in recent times. When I was minister we brought the price down from 40 cents to 23 cents. In 2016 the price was 23 cents. Today the price of electricity is back up to 40 cents,” said Paulwell.
He added that the JPS should beware, because there is growing resentment among consumers.
Paulwell pointed out that when the telecommunications sector was liberalised there was resentment against a “certain company, and after liberalisation people moved away in droves because of that resentment”.
He added: “I believe that JPS has to work with us now because you see that thing called solar? You hear about what is happening with batteries? The price of battery [is now] coming down to enable people to generate their own electricity for less than 50 per cent of the current price. I have said to the Government, ‘If you use some of those resources that you have, that you collect every day from the hedge fund, and assist those low-income communities to establish their own solar inverter and batteries you will be solving two problems — you’ll be dealing with electricity theft and you will be lowering the price of electricity by 17 per cent, just so,’ ” added Paulwell.
He argued that Jamaicans are going to be moving away from the JPS supply because of this viable alternative that now exists due to price reductions for solar panels, inverters and batteries.
Paulwell’s statement in the House was followed by a release in which he said he is relieved JPS has responded positively to his call for a discount to be applied to the bills of customers in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.
JPS announced on Tuesday that a 20 per cent discount will be applied to the bills of customers who use 150 kWh of electricity or less for the month.
This discount will be applied to current charges and will be reflected on bills that customers will start receiving in August. Active prepaid residential customers will get a one-off $1,500 top-up electricity credit on their accounts.
Additionally, JPS has temporarily suspended disconnections for non-payment up to August 15, 2024, and is facilitating flexible payment arrangements for customers needing extensions.
“We are pleased to see that JPS has taken these steps in response to our call for action,” Paulwell said in his statement.
“The decision to provide discounts and additional relief measures indicates that JPS is beginning to understand the importance of their role in helping alleviate the financial pressures on their customers during this recovery period. While we would have preferred a more significant discount offered to the people of Jamaica, we recognise and appreciate the gesture and are hopeful that there is more to come over the coming weeks to further aid the customers in getting their lives back to normalcy after Hurricane Beryl,” said Paulwell.
He also commended JPS’s initiative to submit a proposal to Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) to review the mechanism for calculating estimated bills for customers affected by extended outages due to the hurricane.
“If this is what it will take to prevent them from sending unjust estimated bills to customers during this difficult time, then we welcome this review — so long as it ensures fairness and transparency in billing practices. We urge the OUR to urgently attend to this matter,” said Paulwell.