By Juliet Capper, Gleaner WriterIN SPITE of its continuing crackdown on illegal connections by residential and commercial customers, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo.), is still reporting losses of US$20 million ($1.2 billion), nine per cent of which is attributable to customers who continue to make illegal connections.
Since the start of the year, 16,805 illegal connections have been removed, and over a hundred persons are set to face the courts. However, the utility company continues to rack up enormous losses due to electricity theft.
According to the JPSCo., as much as US$1.8 million is lost to electricity theft performed by those who continue to 'beat the system' by making illegal connections.
"Customers of every social background are found guilty of electricity theft," said Winsome Callum, manager of corporate communications at the JPSCo.
She admits that arrangements have been made for customers who have difficulty paying their bills, but some persons still choose to cheat the company.
"A significant amount of electricity has been stolen by illegitimate customers who bypass our electricity meters. An investigation was conducted on the accounts of 151 of these customers, and it was discovered that more than half are guilty of electricity theft," Miss Callum disclosed.
CLAMPDOWN
To combat the problem, members of the JPS Revenue Protection Department, backed up by the police, enter communities across the island on a weekly basis to clampdown on illegal electricity users.
"We have intensified our efforts to address the problem, but we can't have the help of the police all the time. We are encouraging more players to get involved," Miss Callum said.
To date, 129 persons across the island have been arrested for electricity theft, and could be fined between $,7000 and $100,000 if convicted.
According to Miss Callum, new customers who may have difficulty paying their electricity bill could use the conditional contract, while regular customers could consider the payment options that are in place.
Last week 15 persons were arrested for making illegal electricity connections, eight of whom are from St. Mary.
In 2003, the JPSCo.removed 44,782 illegal connections during 231 operations islandwide.
At one point, there were an estimated 120,000 illegal connections, many of which were in inner-city communities. Another prong of the company's approach has been public awareness programmes aimed at creating an awareness of the dangers that electricity theft pose to life and property.
