Consumers brace for proposed hike in electricity!

After a few hours outside doing some light yard work, I am dripping with sweat and I feel as if my entire body has been burnt by the sun.

I look longingly at my air condition unit in my room. The same unit I installed with the intention of keeping cool is now hardly used because of the high cost of electricity.

Even if you only have fans and a few other small appliances, you know that the costs that they incur seems to be rising steadily. Consumers struggle to pay their bills and on any given day, you can see J.P.S. service trucks involved in cutting the electricity supply because of either illegal connections or non payment of bills.

Despite the economic pressure facing consumers, they will now have to face an added burden.  The Jamaica Public Service (J.P.S) has applied to the Office of Utilities Regulations (O.U.R) for an increase which will mean that the average consumer could face up to 21% increase in their electricity bills.

While the company proclaims that they have had no increase since 2009 and so are due a review, consumers have to bear the brunt of the heavy bills and they are certainly not able to bear much more.

It is also well known that when electricity bills are higher, other sectors are affected as manufacturers have to make a higher profit to offset the increased cost. Business places that use air conditions might also have to increase their fees which will affect their customers.

The proposed increases are not effective immediately and the company has launched a series of consultations with the public to discuss the terms of the increase. The first consultation begins in Kingston but it will spread throughout the island.

It certainly a good idea to launch these consultations however I wonder how much this will contribute to the final decision. After all wouldn’t it have been good to have these consultations before submitting the increase?

Still the O.U.R has 90 days to respond to the request from J.P.S. so let us hope that consumers are not battered by another round of increases.

What’s your take on the proposed increase in electricity bills?

Drop me a line below.

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online Writer

Tags: electricity increase