JPS Warns: Electricity Bills Could Go Up As Tropical Storm Melissa Approaches Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica (McKoy’s News) – As Tropical Storm Melissa creeps closer to Jamaica, the nation’s power company is warning citizens to brace for higher electricity bills in the coming days.

Speaking Thursday morning at a special Jamaica House press briefing, Hugh Grant, President and CEO of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), said the storm is already disrupting the country’s supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) — the cheaper fuel used to generate much of Jamaica’s electricity.

Grant explained that the floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), which provides LNG to JPS, has to be demobilised because of the threat posed by Tropical Storm Melissa, which forecasters say could strengthen into a hurricane by the weekend.

“We’ve been advised that the FSRU will be taken offline due to safety concerns,” Grant said. “Without LNG at some of our facilities, and with one of the major units that can only burn LNG unavailable, we’ll have to use alternate diesel fuel — which is much more expensive.”

Diesel Could Drive Up Light Bills

Grant said that while JPS is doing everything possible to keep the lights on for Jamaicans, switching to diesel oil will have a direct impact on electricity costs.

“The reality is that diesel oil is a pricier commodity than LNG,” he explained. “That could create upward pressure on customers’ bills.”

He also pointed out that with some of JPS’s more efficient power units now offline, the company will have to rely on less efficient generation methods to maintain grid stability — another factor that could lead to temporary increases in billing.

JPS Working to Minimise Impact

Grant assured the public that JPS is working closely with the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and other government agencies to minimise the impact on consumers.

At the same time, he reminded customers that JPS has now achieved 100 per cent smart meter coverage islandwide, meaning that all readings will be accurate even during the storm.

“We want customers to know that their bills will reflect actual usage, not estimates,” Grant said.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Melissa continues to move slowly across the Caribbean Sea, threatening heavy rainfall, strong winds, and flooding across Jamaica and southern Hispaniola.