Brace for bigger JPS bills - New, accurate meters are installed

Tyrone Reid, Senior Staff Reporter

Already angered by the size of their electricity bills, Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers, who have been hollering for an end to the light and power company's monopoly, are likely to see a spike in their monthly expenditure after digital meters are installed.

But before the calls get louder and placards with catchy anti-JPS slogans are drawn, engineering experts have argued that the looming increases would not necessarily be a case of a monopoly bullying its defenceless clients.

Winsome Callum, head of corporate communications at JPS, confirmed that the company was aware that the current digital meter-installation drive it has undertaken may result in some customers paying more for electricity at the end of the month.

"These meters start measuring power use at a much lower level than the electro-mechanical meters and have a higher accuracy (0.5 per cent vs one per cent over the life of the meter) so a modest increase in recorded consumption is normal in some instances," read a section of a release Callum sent to The Sunday Gleaner.