KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Opposition is warning the Government against granting excessive concessions to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) as the administration prepares to update Parliament on the utility’s licence. The call comes amid ongoing nationwide power restoration efforts following major grid disruptions caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Energy Minister Daryl Vaz is expected to make a statement to Parliament next week, but the Opposition says any amendments to JPS’s licence must be tightly controlled and strictly in the public’s interest.

According to Opposition Spokesperson on Energy, Phillip Paulwell, in a statement on Friday, no new licence should exceed a 10-year term, and the existing right of first refusal—currently held by JPS for new generation projects—should be eliminated to ensure “full and fair competition” for new capacity on the grid.

He argues that operators in special economic zones should also be permitted to generate and distribute electricity within those areas.

The party is also calling for stronger regulatory oversight of street lighting.

“There are too many lights that do not work and there is no proper accountability for them,” he said.

Additionally he says consumer protections should be included in any new license, to allow customers recourse when equipment is damaged due to power issues.

He further insisted that the seamless implementation of energy wheelin allowing large users to transmit self-generated electricity across the grid must be part of the new regulatory framework.

“These are some of the preconditions to any new licence,” Paulwell said, urging the Government to clearly outline the status of negotiations when it addresses the nation next week.