OUR investigating complaints of high electricity bills

The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has seen a 200 per cent increase in complaints by way of letters, emails, and calls about high light bills.

At the same time, complaints via social media have gone up more than 1,600 per cent.

The regulator says it is investigating the complaints.

The OUR says since March, customers been complaining that they have seen drastic spikes in their bills even though they did not increase consumption, or where there was an acknowledgement of increased consumption, customers feel the level of increase is too high.

Between January and March, it received 126 complaints via letters, emails and calls with a further five through social media.

This moved to 390 and 89 respectively during the period April to June 12.

The OUR says it wrote to JPS in April regarding the complaints and the company replied in May indicating that, inter alia, that there was a 44% increase in complaints about high bills and consumption between March and April, compared to the 2019 corresponding period, with most of the complaints coming from residential customers.

The information provided by JPS also gave rise to additional questions and the OUR wrote to the company again on June 9 for further clarification and additional information.

JPS is expected to respond by  June 23.

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