Electricity Theft Continues to Hamper JPS’ Reliability – Company combatting problem with smart technology, and appeals to the Government to find solutions

August 23, 2021

JPS continues to explore new ways to combat the problem of electricity theft, and calls on the Government to play a stronger role in addressing this crime.

“The root causes of electricity theft and indeed criminality are primarily social and economic, and are reinforced by a mentality of entitlement and ‘freeness’. Over the years, JPS has tried several approaches to encourage compliance, such as: the removal of illegal wires, partnerships with affected communities as well as meter audits, face-to-face dialogue and moral suasion.  The security forces have also assisted in sanctioning illegal users. Now, in fairness to paying customers and in an effort to reduce significant damage to the grid, the Company is utilizing technology with protective mechanisms to safeguard equipment and curtail the wanton theft of electricity experienced across the island,” said Ramsay McDonald, SVP Customer Services.

With increasingly smart technology, some devices are now able to shut down distribution systems before they become overloaded, burnt and damaged by illegal connections.  Unabated, high theft levels can lead to fires which can result in the loss of lives as well as damage to extremely expensive equipment, such as transformers, fuses and other important hardware.  Only recently, a transformer in the Torrington Park community of St. Andrew was captured on camera blazing beyond containment and without any possibility of repair or return to usefulness, due to illegal connections by residents.

(see below, video of transformer ablaze as a result of  illegal connections in Torrington Park, St. Andrew)

Another prime example occurred in Lilliput District in Trelawny, where electricity theft continues to be the main cause of the failure of a number of transformers. In one week alone, JPS’ maintenance team had to replace two defective transformers at a cost of $1.08 Million.  The constant redeployment of resources to deal with these issues is not only costly but unacceptable and unfair to customers.    

Electricity theft cannot be curtailed without strong Government support, as demonstrated in many countries affected by high levels of electricity theft. JPS is therefore calling on the Government to implement even a few of the best practices used by governments worldwide to bring equity to the electricity market and protect needy persons.  These include a social safety net that provides house wiring assistance and partial electricity subsidies for those below the poverty line, as well as stronger legal deterrents to electricity theft, including increased policing of high-risk communities and the swift prosecution of wrongdoers.

JPS is also reminding illegal users, that regularization of electricity supply is a simple and straightforward process. For more information, persons may contact the Company on social media, on Facebook or Twitter @myjpsonline, use the MyJPS Mobile App or call the Customer Care Centre at 888CALLJPS (888-225-5577).