$40.3 billion worth of electricity stolen from JPS in 2023

The dollar value of electricity stolen from the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) distribution system in 2023 was approximately $40.385 billion or US$258.9 million.

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Honourable Daryl Vaz, provided details in the House of Representatives on January 28 as he answered questions tabled by Member of Parliament for Kingston East and Port Royal/Shadow Minister for Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell.

Vaz said the percentage of electricity stolen was about 15.9 per cent, which is about 80 per cent of the 19.9 per cent non-technical losses registered in 2023.

The Minister also informed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Non-Technical Loss Report of 2022 indicated that Jamaican consumers payment contribution to losses was estimated to be about 8.7 per cent of customers’ electricity bills.

“As an example, the typical residential customer would incur additional costs of about $1,050 per month on average on their bills due to electricity theft,” he pointed out.

The Minister also indicated that over the past nine years the average annual technical losses has been 8.2 per cent of JPS’s generation output, which equates to approximately 358-gigawatt hours (GWh) per annum.

“The corresponding average annual non-technical losses has been 18.9 per cent of JPS’s generation output, which equates to approximately 824 GWh per annum,” Vaz said.

Meanwhile, the Minister said it will take a significant collaboration between JPS and the Government “to make it affordable to be able get those who are not on the grid, on the grid and most importantly, to stay on the grid”.

“JPS, in fairness to them, has made several efforts, used technology, to try and reduce the electricity theft, but the Government does have a responsibility. I expect and I am confident that in the upcoming Budget debate, that is going to be a key part of the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister’s Budget presentation,” Mr. Vaz said.

“It’s something that we have spoken about, but more importantly, it requires the commitment of the Government to invest a significant amount of money to really tackle it in a comprehensive holistic way, which no Government has never been prepared to do,” he added.

We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on X @JamaicaStar and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar