JPS bemoans continued electricity theft in St John’s Road area

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) says it continues to be plagued by high electricity theft in the St John's Road area in Spanish Town, St Catherine.

The JPS says it was forced to replace another transformer yesterday due to illegal connections.

The company says this is the seventh transformer that has been destroyed in the area since the start of the year.

Transformers typically have a lifetime of 15 to 20 years, but this community has managed to destroy six of these in nine months, at a cost of $1.6 million, the JPS noted.

The light and power company says the community has a theft rate of 96%, with 25 out of the 650 residents being legal JPS customers. 

JPS says it has been pulling down throw-ups, conducting meter audits, investigating accounts, installing anti-theft networks and conducting community renewal interventions in several communities in an effort to reduce theft.

JPS and residents have been at odds over electricity supply in the community, which saw some persons mounting a protest on Sunday.

The company says the scourge of electricity theft requires both government and private support, community upliftment, and consideration of the expansion of the social safety net to include electricity and water services.

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