JPS steps up measures to reduce electricity theft

Saturday, November 21, 2009 9:05 PM

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Wednesday, November 04, 2009

THE Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has stepped up its measures to significantly curb electricity theft, having recently rolled out several initiatives which are now saving the company millions of dollars in revenues.

Riding on that success, the light and power company says it intends to spend $8.5 billion over the next five years as it continues to fight losses from theft of electricity from both residential and business customers.

Sangeet Dutta (right), JPS vice-president of customer operations, makes a point while Damian Obiglio, president and chief executive officer of light and power company, looks on during a press conference held at the company's head office in New Kingston yesterday. (Photo: Aston Spaulding)

The company recently designed various strategies to address the varied types of electricity theft, ranging from 'throw-ups' (direct connections to overhead wires) to the more sophisticated means of diverting energy.

"We have been successful in slowing down the rate of growth of electricity theft in the last two years with an investment of over $800 million per year," said Garth McKenzie, JPS' director of the metro region.

McKenzie, who was speaking at a press conference held at the company's head office in Kingston yesterday, said the company had audited close to 7,200 residential accounts that previously registered zero-consumption, resulting in the recovery of approximately $180 million in revenue for the first half of this year.

Of the 58,794 residential metres inspected between January and September, McKenzie said irregularities were found among 22 per cent of them.

The company has also stepped up its drive to remove 'throw-ups', pulling down 106,169 connections this year, up from last year's 42,425.

Replacement of distribution lines which are tamper-proof is another of the strategies being used by the light and power company to reduce theft. McKenzie said a total of 550 pole-mounted meter centres are now in place in communities with a high level of losses, serving approximately 10,000 customers.

Routine audits of business customers, the company said, have revealed significant percentage of irregularities and facilitated the recovery of more than $1 billion in the last three years.

The company yesterday vowed to continue to 'back-bill' persons found stealing electricity for up to six years. In addition, it intends to apply interest to the amounts owed by those caught stealing electricity.

Additionally, the JPS has provided some 2,600 business customers with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) meters and this is expected to be increased to 4,500 by year-end.

"These meters can be continuously monitored for customer demand, consumption patterns and service interruptions, as well as third-party intervention," McKenzie said. All commercial customers are expected to be provided with AMI by the end of 2010.

He explained further that this year the company is spending close to $450 million to install the AMI meters in residential households starting with Old Harbour Bay and Clifton in St Catherine and Seaview Gardens in Kingston.

Over the next two years, the company said, it will be spending close to $1 billion to make the necessary modifications to the network to install AMI among 20,000 residential customers.

In addition, theft-resistant lines will be installed to serve more than 14,000 customers over the next two years.

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