JPS Customers Deprived of Electricity for Over a Week

Residents of St. Johns Road in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, blocked a section of the roadway, as they say they have been left without electricity since Sunday, September 26.

According to the utility company, this is as a result of illegal connections that destroyed another transformer serving the community. The company says it is working to have the transformer replaced, hopefully by Monday, but residents who say they are paying customers are disgruntled.

Legitimate customers of the Jamaica Public Service, (JPS) have described living without electricity for more than six days on St. Johns Road in Spanish Town, St. Catherine as “an act of evil.”

According to the utility company, persons who insist on stealing electricity have managed to breach the anti-theft infrastructure placed in the community, and their illegal actions have compromised the service to legitimate customers. The company says a transformer was destroyed when it became overloaded by illegitimate users.

They say it is the sixth transformer to be destroyed by illegal connections in the St. Johns Road community since the start of the year, costing the company more than J$1.6 million so far. But for the residents, this explanation may not be sufficient.

The light company says approximately 650 households have been affected by the power outage, but only 25 of these households are legal JPS customers. Members of the Jamaica Defense Force, (JDF) were called in to ensure the peace, but the residents remain adamant.

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