Opposition Spokesperson on Energy Phillip Paulwell is calling on the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to publish its billing data to ensure citizens aren’t overburdened by high bills after the passage of Tropical Storm Melissa.

The opposition People’s National Party (PNP) also wants the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) to guarantee fairness in how electricity bills are calculated by the country’s main power provider during and after the storm.

Paulwell, reacting to a statement by JPS chief executive Hugh Grant telling Jamaicans to brace for higher electricity bills, demanded transparency.

Grant, addressing a special press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday, pointed to a more expensive fuel mix for generators that JPS must utilise during the storm as the justification behind the impending elevated bills.

The PNP, while acknowledging the need for JPS to protect its assets and possible cost consequences, says it is also mindful that customers require full transparency in JPS’ billing process, which will allow Jamaicans to clearly understand how their individual bills have been impacted.

“With this in mind, we are calling on the Office of Utilities Regulations to monitor the JPS’ billing actions closely, and on JPS to disclose the following information:

1. A comprehensive list of all billing cycles, their billing periods, and respective meter reading dates
2. The average fuel price before the onset of the storm that will be the basis for billing cycles impacted during and after the storm.
3. The methodology that JPS will use in the fuel calculation for bills due, including any weightings to be applied, given that the JPS generators will only be impacted for a few days during the storm, and that customers may be without supply for extended periods.
4. The projected fuel cost savings arising from the JPS’ shutdown of its generators, the benefit of which should be passed on to customers, versus the increased cost occurring from the new fuel mix.

“While JPS CEO has identified an anticipated 20 per cent contribution by solar and wind-powered IPPs during the storm, we have not heard any statement from the independent power producers to substantiate this claim. We are therefore calling on the IPPs (independent power providers) to verify and substantiate this claim made by the JPS, and the JPS to inform customers of any related cost that may arise due to any impacted terms and conditions within the JPS-IPP contracts,” the opposition continued.

Paulwell further argued that JPS’ unfair actions of generating estimated bills for some customers, including those with smart meters, and of applying unusually high fuel charges after the passage of Hurricane Beryl are still fresh in the minds of many Jamaicans.

“In July 2024, I called on the JPS to rescind its actions of estimating bills, rather than procuring actual readings from the company’s digitised billing systems.  We hope that this terrible action will not be repeated, but that Jamaicans will be billed in a manner that is fair to both the JPS and its customers,” he said. 

“As I did then, I am again calling on the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) to intervene to prevent any unfair practice by the JPS that it seeks to impose on electricity consumers. I also renew my call for a fully disaggregated bill that will add the transparency needed by electricity customers, now more than ever,” added Paulwell.