Still recovering from last year
SUMMER is upon us and the desire to run the fan longer or even turn on the air-conditioning unit will rise.
But remember, so too will your light bill.
|
If the satisfaction of reducing how much you pay JPS for electricity used is not enough incentive for you to conserve, think about the thousands of dollars that could go to your bank account each year.
|
Residential consumers of electricity pay Jamaica Public Service (JPS) an average of $31 and $40 for each kilowatt-hour (kWh), depending on how much is used in any given month.
The price paid for electricity is higher for those with greater appetites for energy. That’s because the energy rate for each kWh above the first 100 kWh is 2.3 times the rate for the first 100 kWh
Have you been monitoring your energy consumption with a view to reducing monthly bills?
Yes, I have installed energy saving devices 40.38%
|
|
Somewhat, every so often I try to cut down on my energy use 38.5%
No, I still have to pay whether or not I use it 21.13%
Read more:
Daraine Luton,
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I am surprised and concerned at comments attributed to both Opposition Spokesman on Energy Gregory Mair and president of the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association, Brian Pengelley, in
THE EDITOR, Sir:
The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is losing more than U$30 million each year to electricity theft. In recent months, the company has been desperately trying to remove illegal connections islandwide. But as soon as the JPS van drives off and turns the corner, the wires go back up again!
Unfortunately, the burden of stemming this theft has been left up to the power company. But this should really be a problem for our police, as JPS is in the business of electricity production, not law enforcement. However, there is obviously a lack of political will to tackle the problem head-on.
Honestly, there is no way many of these people can pay the actual cost of electricity. And the prime minister is particularly concerned about the plight of the nation’s poor. So, why not have an interim inner-city electricity rate? This could be a fraction of the actual cost.
Many will scoff at this idea. But collecting something is a lot better than collecting nothing. It would be a win-win-win:
The Government would save face with the ‘poor’.
Paying customers would pay less.
JPS’s 14 per cent loss to theft would be cut.
One thing is certain: the
Ralph Wilson/AP
As the great
The price of oil fell to near US$95 a barrel on Monday, as the dollar continued to strengthen against the yen and other major currencies.
Benchmark oil for June delivery fell 87 cents to finish at US$95.17 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The stronger dollar is pushing down oil prices, analysts said. The dollar has risen in recent days against the euro and last week passed the 100-yen mark for the first time in four years.
Since oil is traded in dollars, a stronger dollar makes crude and other commodities less appealing to investors with other currencies.
“This, like the stock market, ends up pulling a lot of money out of commodities and into more reliable risk,” said Carl Larry, president of Oil Outlooks and Opinions, a research analysis firm.
An increase in OPEC’s output, which grew by 280,000 barrels to 30.46 million barrels a day in April compared with March, also helped drag down prices by boosting concerns about excess supply.
And weak refining data from China further undercut crude. Government statistics showed China’s refining output in April was the lowest since last August.
drift higher
Brent crude, which is a benchmark for many international oil varieties, was down US$1.09 to end at US$102.82 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
United States drivers saw gasolene prices drift higher over the weekend, up two cents since Friday to a national average of US$3.58 a gallon.
In other energy futures trading on Nymex, wholesale gasolene fell four cents to finish at US$2.82 a gallon, heating oil lost two cents to end at US$2.89 a gallon and natural gas rose two cents to finish at US$3.93 per 1,000 cubic feet.
– AP
Read more:
THE Jamaica Public Service (JPS) says it has sought the assistance of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and the Government in crafting strategies to deal with electricity theft in a more effective manner.
“The root of the problem is crime and poverty, and no technological solution is going to fix that,” said JPS President and CEO Kelly Tomblin, in addressing questions regarding the failure of the recently implemented Resident Advanced Metering Infrastructure (RAMI) system to eradicate electricity theft.
|
Jamaica Public Service President and CEO Kelly Tomblin speaks with Gary Barrow (centre), senior JPS vice-president, and Keith Smith, information technology director at the light and power company, before Thursday
It’s all smiles for from left: JPS’s Kirsten Pedersden, customer care manager, St Ann; Kenyatta Campbell, parish manager, Westmoreland and Antoinette Burton-Steer, parish manager, Hanover; at their Region West Media Appreciation Breakfast at The Pelican in Montego Bay Tuesday morning.
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer WESTERN BUREAU: Combining solid experience with a new breed of customer care representatives, the Jamaica Public Service Company gathered with media practitioners from Western Jamaica and St Ann on Tuesday, at Montego Bay’s most popular restaurant- The Pelican. Tagged, the ‘Region West Media appreciation breakfast’, the utility company succeeded in getting North Coast Time’s Franklyn Knight out of his bed, to travel from the garden parish to the second city. A host of media practitioners defied their 10:00 am work schedule, to mingle with parish customer care manager, key account and e-Store managers, as well as the man task with changing the company’s image in the west, Blaine Jarrett. Yes, it’s a new JPSCo, since the affable Kelly Tomlin touched down on Jamaican soil. Tomlin is bent on changing the image and perception of the company from that of ‘uncaring’ to personable-and her team have bought into the mandate. “The regions were established to take service to our customers,” explained Blaine, who is the regional director for region west. With the power vested in them to turn around the company, community relations and expeditious service are major planks in the process. janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com Photos by Janet Silvera Read more: |