FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JPS and NWC Guaranteed Standards Breaches attract over $53M Potential Payout 2022 Jan.-March
(Kingston, Jamaica: 2022 July 22): Affected customers of the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) and the National Water Commission (NWC) are entitled to $53.4 million in compensation arising from Guaranteed Standards (GS) breaches committed between 2022 January and March.
However, only $45.3 million was applied as a credit to affected customers’ bills. The remaining $8.1 million, attributable to NWC breaches, was not paid as claim forms were not submitted by the affected customers.
This information is contained in the latest Quarterly Performance Report published by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), for the 2022 January-March quarter.
JPS’s compliance report on its GS performance indicated that 20,653 breaches were committed during the quarter, representing a 6% increase on the number for the preceding period. These breaches attracted compensatory payments of approximately $43.8 million, all of which were applied automatically to the affected customer’s account.
The NWC’s Guaranteed Standards compliance report for the review period indicates that the number of breaches committed increased by 120%, to 2,419, when compared with the preceding period. These breaches had a potential payout of approximately $9.6 million but actual payments amounted to approximately $1.5 million, or 15% of total potential payments. Actual payments were made by way of automatic credits to the affected accounts. The remaining 85% of potential payments not made, represented those breaches for which the required claim forms were not submitted for validation.
Additionally, stemming from the OUR Consumer Affairs Unit’s direct intervention, $147,581.22 was secured for customers in the form of credit and direct payment during the review period. Of this amount, $83,541.53 (57%) was secured from Columbus Communications (Flow), $42,531.36, (29%) was secured from the NWC, and $21,508.33, or 15% from Cable and Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ).
The OUR’s Quarterly Performance Report (2022 January-March), can be found on its website: www.our.org.jm/.
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Contact: OUR’s Public Affairs Unit: 876-968-6053
