Vaz steps up pressure on JPS following expiration of power restoration deadline
Published:Tuesday | August 13, 2024 | 3:46 PM
The Minister of Energy Daryl Vaz is demanding that the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) provide a comprehensive report outlining areas still without electricity and the timelines for restoration.
The JPS had been given until August 12 to restore power to all customers, except for parts of St Elizabeth. However, in a media release on Tuesday, it said there were a few isolated outages remaining, mainly in the parishes of Westmoreland, Manchester and rural St Andrew.
Noting the JPS statement today that it had met the deadline for full restoration, Vaz said that claim was not in line with reports from some members of parliament.
"I'm imploring JPS to do a review and to make public what the situation is of today, because their statement is in contrast to what the reports that are coming in fast and furious. I hope that they are accurate, but we need to know definitively. And we need to get the schedule from now going to the 31st as a matter of urgency," Vaz said.
On Monday, Vaz wrote to the JPS requesting that his ministry be immediately provided with a report detailing the status of electricity restoration by community and parish across the island.
In the letter Vaz noted that the information requested will assist the ministry in evaluating the overall recovery efforts.
And Vaz is also demanding that the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) state what sanctions it will impose on the JPS should the company not be fully compliant with the August 12 deadline.
Meanwhile, in correspondence sent to the OUR, Vaz reiterated a request made to the JPS for a detailed account to be provided of the compassionate measures to be implemented for customers whose electricity service was not restored within the previously communicated timelines.
"Given that JPS has not met these restoration deadlines, the Ministry anticipates an extension of service disconnection or penalties for all affected customers. The OUR is also requested to ensure that JPS immediately publishes updated restoration timelines", Vaz told the leadership of the regulatory body.
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