THE OFFICE of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is unlikely to approve a nearly one month extension request by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) on the deadline for the submission of information on its billing system.
"They (JPS) might get some time but I doubt they will get it to the 14th (of January)," David Geddes, manager of communications and customer relations at the OUR, told The Gleaner yesterday.
The light and power company was to have submitted the information to the OUR yesterday, but according to Mr. Geddes, the country's sole supplier of electricity said it needed additional time to come up with the information requested. The JPS had written to the OUR on the weekend requesting the deadline be extended until January 14, 2005.
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
Mr. Geddes disclosed that a preliminary analysis of bills submitted by disgruntled customers of JPS by the OUR found that consumption levels of customers had risen and may account for the increase, to an extent, in customers' bills. However, Mr. Geddes pointed out "the kind of consumption that we are seeing in the 32 worst cases is not feasible."
He said the exorbitant electricity bills were a result of "either the reading in November wasn't accurate, or there was a problem with some other readings prior to that."
