(Jamaica Gleaner) With more than 20,000 customers still without electricity following the passage of Hurricane Beryl a month ago, the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is facing a $2-million fine if it fails to meet the 100 per cent restoration target set by August 12.
In a terse response to yesterday’s directive from the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), its regulatory body, the power company said it had set itself that deadline and has been working towards it.
“We are employing our best measures to ensure that we meet the timeline we set,” the company said in an emailed response to The Gleaner following the OUR instruction.
In a statement on Friday, the OUR said given that JPS has missed previously established timelines, its directive, which took effect on July 31, requires that the company complies with the latest restoration dates it has given.
It said failure to comply with this directive within the time specified will render JPS liable to enforcement action pursuant to section 9 of the Office of Utilities Regulation Act.
Section 9 (1) of the act says where it appears to the OUR that a licensee or organisation is not fulfilling its obligations under its licence or enabling instrument, the OUR may, by memorandum in writing to the licensee or organisation, require the licensee or organisation, within the time specified in that memorandum, to take such remedial measures as may be so specified.
Any licensee or organisation, according to section 9(2), which fails to comply with the requirements of the memorandum is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction before a resident magistrate to a fine not exceeding $2 million.
The OUR has directed that JPS repair its damaged network infrastructure and achieve 100 per cent restoration of electricity to consumers throughout the island, subject to the inaccessibility issues faced in the areas specified as exception, by August 12.
