The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is reporting that it secured more than $69 million in compensation for breaches of the Guaranteed Standards (GS) by the country’s utility providers in the first three months of the year.

The OUR defines guaranteed standards as the minimum service level agreed to between the OUR and the utility companies to ensure value to customers. A breach of this agreement will result in the utility providers becoming liable for compensatory payments to customers.

Some 29,312 breaches were committed by JPS within the first quarter of the year (January to March), according to the OUR’s Quarterly Performance Report. This is an increase compared to the previous year when 20,653 breaches were reported, resulting in automatic payments of $43.8 million to customers’ accounts.

For the NWC, some 2,103 breaches were recorded during the first quarter of the year, a decline compared to the previous year when 2,419 breaches were recorded with potential payouts of $9.6 million. However, only $1.5 million was actually paid out automatically, because customers were required to submit claims for validation in order to receive additional payments.

These breaches range from complaint investigations, meter repair and replacement and access or new service connection.

According to the OUR, some J$1,127, 822. 29 were collected between October 2022 to March 2023 for the resolution of complaints and appeals from consumers. The regulatory body also underscored in its report that of the total sum of $1,127,822.29 secured, the NWC had reversed charges amounting to $630,297.81. This was due to customers being billed for no service over an extended period.

Another J$66.48 million was paid out by the Jamaica Public Service Limited (JPS), and $1.67 million by the National Water Commission (NWC) for GS breaches.

Several consumers expressed concerns about the accuracy of estimated bills being provided by the JPS. Also, the OUR reported that the JPS refunded $492,426. 922 to some customers for an overestimation of consumption.

Telecommunications provider Flow accounted for less than one per cent of the total amount recovered.