JPS e-bills are optional

THE EDITOR, Sir:

PLEASE ALLOW me to respond to a letter published in your paper on Tuesday, August 2. The letter, titled "An open letter to JPS", posed some questions concerning the JPS's Go Green facility.

Go Green is one of JPS' environmental awareness initiatives, which gives customers the option of receiving their electricity bills via email only. Please note that it is an option for customers who have email access and who wish to be part of the programme. Customers who do not wish to participate will continue to receive their bills through the usual channels of the post office or delivery contractors.

Set your own due date

The advantage for customers who 'go green' is that they have the opportunity to set the due date for their bills. They can choose any date between the first and 28th of the month. Many JPS customers have embraced this option, as it allows them to plan according to their cash flow.

It should be noted that customers who receive e-bills can request a printed bill from our offices whenever one is needed to conduct other business. Also, our customers do not need to have a printed bill to make payments to their accounts, as the account number alone is sufficient information for making payments at all our collection agents.

In addition to the Go Green initiative there is another facility that allows persons without email access to choose a due date of the 12th or 26th of the month. This is the Bill Pick Up option, which allows customers to choose one of these due dates and then pick up their bills from the agreed JPS office any time before the due date selected.

Paying less for theft

The letter also questioned whether JPS customers were benefiting from the company's well-publicised efforts to reduce illegal connections. The answer is 'Yes'. The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is moving to gradually reduce the percentage of losses that customers pay for as the company makes progress with its loss reduction efforts. This is why, effective July 1 this year, the OUR has reduced the percentage of losses passed on to customers from 19.5 per cent to 17.5 per cent. This means that JPS now has to absorb more of the cost of electricity theft, while customers pay less.

Regarding the concerns about her personal bill, I would like to invite the customer to visit one of our customer-care offices where a representative will be happy to go through the details of her account with her.

Winsome Callum

Head, Corporate

Communication, JPS

6 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5