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JPS Sees Positive Outcome From Softbank Acquisition Of Fortress Group

February 20, 2017 Webmaster

In this November 2016 photo, co-chairman of Fortress Wes Edens (left) poses with Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness and President & CEO of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) Kelly Tomblin at the offcial commissioning of the JPS LNG plant at Bogue in Montego Bay.

Power utility boss Kelly Tomblin views Softbank’s acquisition of Fortress Investment Group, to which New Fortress Energy is affiliated, as positive for furthering plans to build out gas facilities in Jamaica,

American company New Fortress Energy is a gas supply partner to Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS).

Last November, the partners celebrated the commissioning of Jamaica’s first LNG-fired plant at Bogue in Montego Bay, and they are about to start development on another gas facility in St Catherine. In both cases, New Fortress invests separately in the gas-supply infrastructure, while JPS develops the power plant.

The marine terminal and gas power plant development at Old Harbour in St Catherine is to get off the ground “in a couple of weeks,” said Tomlin, the president and CEO of JPS, on Friday.

JPS secured funding locally for its plant, while New Fortress planned to finance the project themselves with cash rather than debt, Tomlin, who noted that the acquisition by Softbank means “they will have a lot more cash”.

New Fortress did not return Gleaner calls up to press.

Last Wednesday, the two parties jointly announced a US$3.3 billion deal for Softbank of Japan to acquire New York-based Fortress Investment Group. Fortress, which is co-chaired by Pete Briger and Wes Edens, said its senior executives would remain with the company.

EXCITED ABOUT DEAL

“I am in dialogue with Wes Eden,” said Tomblin. “I am assured that this acquisition doesn’t harm the project and that also he is excited about this deal; and so too the members on the ground who work for New Fortress,” said Tomlin.

Asked about any other implication to Jamaica, she said there would be “absolutely none”.

New Fortress plans to build and operate a liquefied natural gas marine terminal and pipeline within the Portland Bight area or close to the Goat Islands, according to the environmental report released last year.

The project will be executed through affiliate NFE South Holdings Limited. The marine terminal will feed gas to the 190MW plant that JPS will be developing at Old Harbour.

Gleaner

Electricity Government JPS News

Government Should Await 190MW Plant Before Selling JPS Shares – Paulwell

February 20, 2017 Webmaster

A JPS workman installs power lines in the Springfield housing development in Clarendon on August 17, 2016. The Jamaican Government plans to divest its near 20 per cent holdings in the power utility.

Opposition spokesman on mining and energy, Phillip Paulwell, says if the Government divests its nearly 20 per cent stake in Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) at this time, the asset would fetch the least possible value.

However, Dennis Chung, the chief executive officer of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), says if Government wants to divest its shares in JPS it might make sense, noting the valuation of the shares would be based on future prospects of the business.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, delivering the Throne Speech in Parliament on February 9, said the Government will this year begin the process of privatising its minority shareholding in JPS.

“The Government will take steps to ensure that there is broad retail and institutional participation and Jamaican owners in the divestment process,” he said, adding that an enterprise team will be appointed to lead it.

JPS is primarily owned by Marubeni of Japan and Korea East West Power Company, each of which holds 40 per cent interest.

Paulwell said the Government’s expressed plan to offload its shares in the power utility “doesn’t mean it’s going to happen as we have seen from last year’s Throne Speech”.

Notwithstanding that, “I am opposed to the divestment of the shares at this time because we would get the least possible value on those assets in JPS, largely because everybody is aware that 290 megawatt of JPSCo capacity will become scrap metal in a matter of time when the new 190MW plant is established.”

The 190MW plant to which he referred is the proposed gas-fired power station at Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine, on which construction is slated to start in early March.

“For me, the Government should participate in the new 190 (megawatt) plant which will preserve and enhance its value, and after that plant has been established, that’s the time you can think about selling the shares,” Paulwell told the Financial Gleaner.

$2-billion debt

“If you were to sell the shares now, we would end up not getting much because we owe JPSCo so much money now; so nothing will go to the government’s coffers, because any money we make from the sale will have to go and clear our debt with JPS,” he said.

He noted that the Government currently owes the JPS more than $2 billion in bills, including for street lighting.

“So if it were to sell the shares now it will be at a depressed value. The net effect would not mean anything coming into Government’s coffers,” said the energy spokesman.

What the Government needs to do is to participate fully in construction of the 190-megawatt plant, Paulwell said. “It will cost them about US$20 million in equity,” he said, noting that for that plant, the JPS has a 20-year power purchase agreement which guarantees that project a significant rate of return on the investment for 20 years.

“That is one of the safest investments you could make. Why would the Government not be a part of that? And at that time it could contemplate on how to dispose of its shares,” said Paulwell.

“And, in any event, if it’s going to do that, the Jamaican people must be the people to whom those shares are sold,” he said.

Chung indicated that in making the decision to divest its shares in JPS, the Government must know what is happening.

He said he did not see it as a big deal to divest the shares and make Jamaicans a part of the ownership.

Referring to Paulwell’s opposition to the sale at this time, Chung noted that valuation of the shares would be done based on what is expected in terms of business.

“If you know, for example, that you have a contract to sell twice what you sold this year, then you can build that knowledge into the valuation,” he said, adding that the valuation would also be based on future prospects.

He noted that shares are traded at a price-earnings ratio and sometimes can be valued at many times more than the book value of an entity.

“So it’s based on information that people have,” he said, adding that if investors believe they are going to make a killing “out of this thing, going forward, then you value the shares accordingly”.

Gleaner

Electricity Government JPS

Government To Divest JPS Shares This Year

February 11, 2017 Webmaster

The Governor General said the Government will seek to ensure that Jamaicans have ownership in the island’s sole electricity generation and distribution company, Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS)

Sir Patrick disclosed this morning that the Administration will this year sell its remaining stake in JPS.

The Government owns 19.9 per cent of the light and power company.

The Governor General said an enterprise team is to be set up to lead the divestment.

The opposition has objected to the Government’s divestment of its JPS shares.

Opposition Spokesman on Energy, Phillip Paulwell, has described the move as ill-advised and untimely.

Paulwell argued that the sale would deprive the company of the opportunity to maximise the expected increase in its assets.

Gleaner

Electricity Government JPS News

Divesting Gov’t Shares In JPS At This Time Ill-Advised – Paulwell

January 30, 2017 Webmaster

Opposition spokesman on Mining and Energy, Phillip Paulwell, is describing as ill-advised and untimely the latest proposal by the Government to divest its 19.9 per cent stake in the Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd (JPS).

Paulwell, who said that Finance and Public Service Minister Audley Shaw recently alluded to the divestment of the Government’s shares at this time, argued that the transaction would deprive the country of the opportunity to maximise the expected increase in the value of the energy company’s assets when the energy diversification and modernisation exercise is completed.

“While we recognise and appreciate the fact that the divestment would serve to broaden the ownership base of assets in the country, we urge the Government not to squander the country’s assets on the whim of expediency, but to be guided by the cost-benefit analysis of the divestment,” Paulwell insisted.

Despite the Opposition’s reservations to divest the JPS shares at this time, Paulwell recommended that every effort should be made to ensure that Jamaicans are given the opportunity to acquire the publicly held shares in the company.

The previous People’s National Party administration had taken a policy decision to divest itself of commercial assets once the opportunities arise.

In 2016, the Development Bank of Jamaica had advised that the Government was committed to selling its stake in the JPS, the island’s sole power distributor.

Gleaner

Electricity JPS News

JPS Says Action Plan Submitted To Fix Problems That Caused Islandwide Power Outage

January 26, 2017 Webmaster

The Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) says it has submitted an action plan to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) outlining its strategy and timelines for fixing the problems which caused the widespread power outage last year.

A total of 547,734 customers were affected by the April 17, 2016 outage which was caused by a major system failure.

The submission of the action plan by the JPS follows several directives and recommendations issued by the OUR to the company in November.

The OUR had also instructed JPS to provide it with an action plan on the implementation of all of the recommendations which should include specific timeframes for their completion and associated implementation costs.

The company will have to address its systems and training to ensure all major transmission maintenance outages are properly planned and coordinated to reduce the system exposure to security risks.

It will also have to address training of its relevant staff including managers on outage management; increase complement and improve competence of protection system staff; and implement a system for upgrading, maintain, test and management of critical equipment.

Gleaner

Electricity Government JPS News

JPS Jolted By Licence-Review Suggestion

January 23, 2017 Webmaster

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is preparing for a battle with the Government over any attempt to review its operating licence.

The JPS was put on its guard last Friday when Government senator and chief technical adviser to the finance minister, Aubyn Hill, declared that the Andrew Holness-led administration is obliged to review the licence of the light and power company because of threats to the Jamaican economy.

Opening the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate, Hill called for a review of the modified licence issued to JPS last January, because it “seems to be quite opposed to the interest of Jamaicans”.

“We have to look at that licence carefully [and] as a new Government, we’re obliged to,” Hill told his parliamentary colleagues.

But Kelly Tomblin, the president and chief executive officer of the JPS, in a quick response, rejected Hill’s reasons for questioning the changes to the licence and expressed the hope that his comments would not suggest that Holness will shred the contract.

“I’m sure, similar to how the Government has continued on the framework for fuel diversity, that this Government certainly wouldn’t suggest that a licence negotiated in good faith, in which the JPS has made investments, would be negated by a subsequent government,” said Tomblin.

“Surely, he’s (Hill) not suggesting that,” added Tomblin.

In his Senate presentation, Hill argued that he was making the call from his position as a senator.

“Because I may have some influence on policy, I do not lose my right as a senator to bring up independent issues. My position is quite different from a recommendation, and if I gave a recommendation I probably would not be speaking on it publicly,” said Hill.

The international banker argued that the replacement of the price cap regime with the revenue cap in the licence “could dampen economic growth” because JPS’s growth is no longer tied to that of the economy.

“A good argument can be made that the revenue cap approach blunts any incentive on JPS’s part to support the expansion of renewable sources of energy or to improve efficiencies in their current business,” said Hill, who is the chairman of Innovative Renewable Energy & Electronics Limited.

He said giving the JPS the right of first refusal to replace generating plants due for retirement entrenches the company’s near-monopoly and is inconsistent with international standards and Jamaica’s national energy policy.

‘Inaccurate Conclusions’

Tomblin rejected those claims, arguing that Hill was making “inaccurate conclusions”.

“We negotiated with the Government for our licence amendments that we believe serve the country. We have about 31 guaranteed standards that are monitored by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR).

“Our overriding goal is to support economic growth. This (Hill’s arguments) requires a more fulsome discussion with the utility,” said Tomblin.

Hill’s call came days after the OUR announced new regulation which should give it more power to monitor the operations of the JPS and other entities which generate or supply electricity.

The regulation will govern the operational standards and established procedures for handling the generation, transmission, distribution, supply and dispatch of electricity across the island.

According to the OUR, the regulation adopts five grid codes, which are generation, transmission, distribution, supply, and dispatch.

“The codes, which were finalised in August 2016, have been developed in parallel, and are designed to be used in conjunction with each other,” said the OUR.

Alternative Energy Electricity Government JPS News

JPS Making New Kingston Bright, Smart

January 17, 2017 Webmaster

This is one of the 330 smart-ready street lights in New Kingston which the JPS has retrofitted to accommodate the addition of intelligent controls to the LED fixtures for the maintenance and controls of lights in the area. The smart street light initiative will be rolled out from 2017-2020.

The plan to transform Kingston into the Caribbean’s first smart city has inched closer to becoming a reality with the identification of two preferred vendors by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) for its Smart LED street light project.

Petra Systems and FosRich Group of Companies in partnership with Philips Lighting, are the companies selected to spearhead the initiative, which the JPS plans to roll out across the country, starting this year.

Following the selection of the LED vendors, the next step for the energy company is to identify suitable entities for the installation of the lighting fixtures, as well as provision and management of the smart features. Its target is a total of 110,000 street lights, with consumers, the company and the entire country set to benefit.

SUPPORT CRIME FIGHTING

“In addition to lowering energy costs and improving energy efficiency, smart street lights can facilitate the smart technology to support crime fighting, through the use of image sensing (including allowing for closed-circuit television),” chief technology officer, JPS, Gary Barrow, explained in a press release, hinting also at positive environmental spin-offs. “Smart street lights will also reduce the carbon emissions from power consumption.”

Other benefits of the smart street light system include its ability to detect and report light failure per location; report maintenance and repairs of lights; as well as measure and report energy usage per lamp. The street light system will be managed by a control centre that will facilitate ease of monitoring and other aspects of management.

The JPS recently retrofitted 330 streetlights in the New Kingston area with LED lights, as part of its Smart City pilot. The next phase of the project involves the addition of intelligent controls to the LED fixtures for the maintenance and controls of the lights in the area. The smart street lights are the first phase of several technologies that will be deployed to make New Kingston one of the first smart cities in the Caribbean. The smart street light initiative is one of Jamaica’s largest energy efficiency projects and will be rolled out from 2017-2020.

Gleaner

Electricity JPS News Uncategorized

JPS Says 20,000 Customers Still Without Power Due To Heavy Winds

January 11, 2017 Webmaster

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) says at least 20,000 customers are still without power due to the impact of heavy winds across Jamaica.

The heavy winds are being caused by a Cold Front which is affecting the island.

Corporate Communications Officer at the JPS, Audrey Williams, says the restoration efforts by work crews are being hampered by the windy conditions.

Williams says the majority of the customers who are still without electricity are in Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine.

Noting that the company’s customer care centre has been inundated by telephone calls, Williams says the JPS is appealing to customers for patience as it works to restore electricity.

Gleaner

Electricity Government JPS News Renewable Energy Solar Energy

NWC can produce more power than JPS – Chang

November 3, 2016 Webmaster

Dr Horace Chang says if given the green light from the utilities regulators, the National Water Commission (NWC) could generate even more power than the Jamaica Public Service (JPS).

Chang, who has responsibility for water in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, said that currently the NWC’s biggest expense is its electricity bill, which averages around $450 million monthly.

“Of course, if the water supply company is allowed to generate its own power without any kind of guidance or regulation, we could end up producing more power than JPS. If we have hydropower, we can produce so much; we have lands we can produce solar power and not only remove ourselves from the grid in terms of supply sources,” Dr Chang argued.

He was addressing the final day of the three-day 14th Annual Conference of the Organisation of Utility Regulators last Friday, held at Secrets Resort and Spa in Montego Bay, St James.

He called on the utility regulators to examine the relationship between utilities.

“Can exception be made [in] how you do it and in what way it is done that it doesn’t end up superseding the other? That’s maybe the biggest question,” Dr Chang said. “Regulators have to create the framework in which the company itself can move forward; the broader policy of ownership is decided by the Government.”

The water minister explained that under the current arrangement, if the NWC or the National Irrigation Commission were to “produce power for itself and reuse it”, they would have to first be awarded a licence by the Office of Utilities Regulations.

“Under the current regulator, if you produce power, move it from one venue to the next, you need a licence. And if you are doing a licence, it has to be competitively awarded and that creates challenges,” he argued.

“Certainly, I think we can produce power on site, which we intend to do in a couple of our local outlets, but that raises some challenges.”

Another challenge he highlighted was wheeling, which refers to the scheduling of the energy transfer from one balancing authority to another. Since the wheeling of electric energy requires use of a transmission system, there is often an associated fee which goes to the transmission owners.

“The challenge here is not only wheeling for commercial purposes [and] home users, but since a water company can produce water in large amounts, the question of wheeling within the head of the utility becomes relevant. It is something that needs to be addressed,” Dr Chang said.

“The real impact of water is, it also has a social impact, but it has to be produced at an economical rate. And power becomes one of the big cost factors. For irrigation, in fact, we might not be able to provide our southern plain — which is our major provider of food supply — with irrigated water if we don’t have the right to produce some of the power for ourselves, because farmers cannot afford to pay the JPS bills.”

Jamaica Observer

Climate Climate Change Electricity Environment Government JPS LNG News Oil

New Fortress Promises Regular Environmental Monitoring Of LNG Marine Terminal

September 30, 2016 Webmaster

New Fortress Energy has committed to recurrent environmental monitoring and reporting on site preparation, construction and operation of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and pipeline project to be developed in St Catherine.

At a public consultation with residents of Old Harbour, the American company also promised, as far as is possible, to train and employ persons from the community to work at the facility instead of bringing in skill sets from outside.

The gas will be transported to Jamaica from the United States or other markets to a new offshore terminal at Portland Bight, where it will be regasified and distributed via an undersea pipeline to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) power plant, said Managing Director of Fortress Investment Group Brannen McElmurray at the forum on Wednesday.

The main infrastructure will include a berth and regasification platform; a natural gas pipeline; and an automotive diesel pipeline and other facilities. The terminal is to be located on the western side of Portland Bight, about 2,000 metres from the shipping channel to Port Esquivel. It will have a depth of about 14 metres, sufficient to berth a floating storage unit for the LNG as well as LNG carrier vessels without the need for dredging.

McElmurray said the Port Authority of Jamaica has reviewed the general location and concluded it does not interfere with shipping activities. The floating unit, an LNG carrier refitted to for use as a storage vessel, will be located far enough from shore and, hence, will not be visually obtrusive.

Experts have recommended a 500-metre safety exclusion zone around the floating unit in which navigation is restricted.

However, environmental consultant Dr Carlton Campbell, whose company CL Environmental Limited undertook the environmental impact assessment presented at the public consultation, said that zone was reduced to 200 metres based on complaints from fisherfolk.

The exclusion zone would have denied them access to regular sites where they normally harvest fish.

However, one resident was against the compromise reached, saying the zone should not have been reduced to facilitate more fishing, given that the 500-metre recommendation was made by safety experts.

The LNG terminal being developed through NFE South Holdings will supply gas to JPS, which itself is finalising plans to build an LNG-fired power plant at Old Harbour.

According to the environmental impact assessment, monitoring of various aspects of the New Fortress project will be done by persons appointed by New Fortress Energy, the JPS, and “capable organisations”, the latter monitoring water quality, salinity and dissolved oxygen, among other conditions.

However, some residents suggested that members of the Old Harbour Bay community should be involved in monitoring as they did not entirely trust the National Environment and Planning Agency and the parish council to do so on their behalf.

McElmurray said some of the equipment for the project will be offloaded at Port Esquivel and transported by trailers to the Old Harbour Bay site, giving rise to concerns about road damage.

Campbell assured concerned residents that mitigation measures have been put in place for noise from heavy equipment, access road to facilitate movement of heavy vehicles and equipment, potential negative impact on marine life and various other environmental issues.

He said horizontal drilling would be used for the pipeline to ensure the reef is not destroyed, and that the developers would have to work with the fishing community to safeguard fish pots set to harvest fish.

In the regasification process, New Fortress will heat the LNG using seawater to convert it to natural gas and then release the water back to the sea. Campbell assured residents the water would be cooler at release and so would not affect marine life.

During construction an estimated 225 to 250 persons will be employed, McElmurray said. New Fortress Energy estimates that it can start delivering natural gas to JPS at Old Harbour by the second quarter of 2018.

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