“BLACKOUT Friday” is now behind us and we are still faced with the critical problem of high electricity bills. In the absence of any changes or adjustments being made by the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPSCO) in the foreseeable future, it would be wise for persons to embark on a renewed effort towards energy conservation.

Complaints are being levied against the JPSCO for what many deem unusually higher electricity bills with said bills representing consumption rates unlike that of previous bills. Questions are now being raised about the measures used to bill customers and the reliability of their meter replacement programme which has seen the installation of new, digital meters.

“The whole thing with JPS has gotten out of hand…We have clients who make changes to consumption but no changes (are seen in their bills). We’ve gotten calls recently, since the start of digital meters,” said Damion Lyn, managing director of Alternative Power Sources Limited (APS).

APS, a company under the Jampearl Group of Companies, is committed to providing renewable energy solutions by the use of technology and systems including energy management and audits.

An increase in queries of questionable billing practices, residential and commercial, and the growing media coverage given to the issue prompted the board of the JPSCO to release a statement last Thursday saying it would be ordering an independent external auditor to immediately review the company’s meter replacement programme and the billing of its customers.

Given the due diligence and the ensuing bureaucracy, this audit into the operations of the JPSCO will likely not come to fruition for some time and, as such, consumers feeling the pinch must act fast. Certainly in matters of electricity consumption, one’s behaviour is to be (partially) blamed. Many of us fail to realise how the small things we do add up to the huge bill we bemoan thus, underlining that importance of conservation.

Here are Sunday Finance’s tips on some simple measures that you can use to reduce electricity consumption

1. Beware of power vampires. These are devices that consume electricity even while not in use as they remain plugged in, awaiting the next time you need to use them at short notice. These include televisions, phone and laptop chargers, DVDs, VCRs (yes, they still exist), fax machines, answering machines and printers. Though this seems like the ordinary for most of us, again, being conscious of our behaviours is the first step towards conservation. These add up in the course of a week, month and certainly after a year, so using inexpensive power strips that allow you to turn off these devices when not in use will help in lessening the amount of electricity consumed when your house is watching your appliances.

2. Efficient lighting is a cost-effective way to save on energy and dollars. Lyn said no one should be using incandescent bulbs and we agree. Fluorescent bulbs also provide the same amount of lighting and has a longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs so why haven’t you made the switch? Also, we have this tendency to look for high wattage bulbs but there really is no need to have a 100w bulb in your bedroom. NO need.

3. For those of us fortunate enough to have an air conditioning unit, try not to put it at too high or too low temperatures. Practise moderation by setting the air conditioner at fair temperatures which will help in conserving electricity.

4. Now I know this will be a sore point for some but your washing machines! Half a load isn’t reason enough to wash, especially if you don’t have to. Washing your ‘g’outing’ and ‘yaad’ clothes separately wastes energy and contributes much more to your bill than you would think. Limit how much you wash by washing a full load each time. Also, if you have a dryer, there is no reason to use it if you live in Portmore, Spanish Town, May Pen or any other area where it is possible to get your eggs sunny-side up by putting them in the actual sun.

5. Standing in front the refrigerator doesn’t help you decide what you want. It is also unlikely that its contents change on an hour by hour basis so checking it repeatedly will only add to your billing frustration, doing nothing to feed your hunger or self-replenish.

6. Remember the time, before game consoles took over and reality TV was watching life go by in REAL life? Introduce your kids to those days and get them away from the technology. Not only will you see an improvement in your electricity bills, you will also be responsible for introducing them to the great outdoors, a forgotten concept.

While we wait on the JPSCO audit, let’s begin by fixing ourselves and addressing our consumption habits in a day where US$15 is no longer the price of a barrel of crude oil but the cost of a T-shirt.