More than 300,000 residential customers of the Jamaica Public Service Company, JPS, will receive discounts on their bills.
That’s according to the Board of Directors at JPS.
According to JPS, the move forms part of the company’s Hurricane Beryl Relief Programme, following significant impact on its operations island wide.
Nora Gaye Banton reports.
On Friday, JPS disclosed that some customers were set to receive estimated bills for the period of June to July.
That announcement was met with widespread criticism from the public as well as Energy Minister, Daryl Vaz.
In a release on Tuesday, JPS announced plans to give 20% discounts on the bills of 350,000 residential customers, under the relief programme.
The discount will be provided to those who use 150 kilowatt per hour of electricity or less for the month.
JPS says this discount will be applied to current charges and will be reflected on bills customers will start receiving in August.
Active prepaid residential customers will also receive a one-off top-up electricity credit of $1500 on their accounts.
JPS Chairman and Acting President, Damian Obiglio, says the company regrets the recent billing experience of its customers.
He says the entity had very little choice but to issue estimated bills to some customers following the disruption of its operations.
Mr. Obiglio noted that JPS is mandated to issue bills to its customers for 30-day period using the standard methodology established by the Office of Utilities Regulation.
The Chairman added that a proposal has been submitted to the OUR requesting a review of the mechanism for calculating estimated bills, specifically for customers impacted by extended outages as a result of Hurricane Beryl.
Meanwhile, JPS says it has suspended disconnection for non-payment of bills since the passage of the hurricane.
It says this will continue up to August 15.
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