Paulwell’s win-win solar solution to electricity theft

Shadow Minister of Energy and Climate Change, Phillip Paulwell, has chastised the Government for its lack of response to a specific set of proposals he has been advancing to solve electricity theft.

In his sectoral debate presentation this week, Paulwell said an estimated 17 per cent of consumers’ electricity bills are due to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) recouping losses due to an estimated 200,000-plus households stealing electricity.

Using solar technology to provide power to areas where theft of electricity is being done presents a win-win solution for JPSCo, for consumers who are being burdened with extra bills, and for those who are habitually stealing electricity, he suggested.

“I wish the Government would appreciate the seriousness of this issue in terms of the burden it places on consumers and the lack of growth in the economy. I have been advancing a specific set of proposals for my last three Sectoral Debate presentations without any luck in getting the Government to address them,” Paulwell stated.

“I even placed the proposals in a Private Member’s motion three years ago, trying to provoke a response from the Government. Nothing!! The solution lies in my plan to use solar technology to provide low-cost energy to poor communities,” he continued.

The Opposition spokesman said solar technology continues to improve as panels, inverters and batteries are becoming far more efficient, with greater capacity and less use of roof space. Additionally, prices for solar equipment will continue to fall, with the same happening to inverter technology and storage capacity using lithium-ion batteries. Overall, it means solar power is becoming more reliable as a firm electricity option.

“The Government should look at my proposals to deploy between 3KW and 5KW solar systems along with batteries in these communities where the theft of electricity has overwhelmed the capacity of the JPSCo and the police to contain. It would be a winning solution for everyone as the poor will have access to this necessity, the consumers will get a 17 per cent price break and carbon credits can be earned from this increased use of renewable energy,” Paulwell said.

Paulwell said the government’s approach to the energy sector lacks urgency. He cited the failure to review the Electricity Act 2015, even though it was clear to Parliament that the law, passed to modernise the legal framework for electricity that was over 100 years old and, being transitional, would need to be reviewed after five years.

“This review should have been done in 2020. The review only started after my insistence, but the process has been painfully slow. And even though the work of the Joint Select Committee has been completed, we are yet to see the tabling of the Report in Parliament. We are not very impressed with the outcome of the work of the Joint Select Committee,” said Paulwell.

He said the new law that will emanate from the review will itself have to be reviewed when the JPSCo licence expires 2027. That expiration date is another source of concern to Paulwell, who believes that negotiation between the power company and the Government about a new license, should have begun.

“I fear that come 2027, at the pace of which this Government operates, there will be no new arrangements in place as we hobble along,” Paulwell predicted.