KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Science, Energy and Technology Minister, Dr Andrew Wheatley, continues to discourage persons from accessing electricity illegally.

He says this is imperative in order to reduce inconveniences incurred by service providers, and other persons and entities connected to the national power grid. 

The minister was speaking at a lighting ceremony for the community of 43c Featherbed Lane in South Central St Catherine, on Thursday.

Dr Wheatley noted that wherever illegal connections exist they cause “some level of loss.” This, he explained, was consequent on uneven load distribution to facilitate those transmissions. He said this load is often transferred to other sections and end users of the power grid.

He emphasized that unregulated load on the system can be detrimental to residents of communities with illegal connections as well persons living outside these areas, “because it causes all kinds of surge (outputs) which can damage electrical equipment and appliances and also cause loss of life.”

“We have seen in the past where a number of homes were destroyed consequent on mishaps involving illegal connections with faulty wiring and, in some cases, we have seen where children have lost their lives as a result of these illegal activities,” the minister stated.

Against this background, Dr Wheatley reiterated the ministry’s planned implementation of the $1.25 billion Street Lighting, Installations, Loss Reduction and Community Renewal (SILC) initiative, targeting electricity infrastructure upgrades in a number of homes in approximately 25 communities.

The initiative, which will implemented as a pilot in Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, and St James, aims to improve electricity supply in these areas by making access more affordable, thereby improving citizen safety and security, while reducing losses.

Wheatley, who made the announcement during his 2016/17 Sectoral Debate presentation in Parliament in June, indicated that the engagement will build on existing arrangements between the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Limited, Jamaica Social Investment Fund, and National Energy Solutions Limited (NESol) to expand electricity supply and minimize unauthorized connections to the national grid.

He emphasized that the initiative was a “comprehensive” programme aimed at improving beneficiaries’ lives.

Approximately 60 residents of 43c Featherbed Lane have been provided with electricity at a cost of $4 million.

The provision has been facilitated by NESol, which installed cables, transmissions lines, power transformers, and streetlights, and wired beneficiaries’ homes.

Wheatley, who has portfolio responsibility for NESol and is the community’s Member of Parliament, formally switched on the service.