JPS Commercial Offices
Kingston & St. Andrew
NORTH
23 Ruthven Road
Kingston 10
LUCEA
Shop 2A, Uptown
MONTEGO BAY
Shop 4
Bay West Centre
Kingston & St. Andrew
SOUTH
7-9 East Parade
Kingston
FALMOUTH
13 Wellington Street
PORTMORE MALL
Shop 1B
St. Catherine
PORT MARIA
94 Stennett Street
PORT ANTONIO
Boundbrook
SPANISH TOWN
19 Burke Road
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CUST MER
CARE GUIDE
MORANT BAY
11 Church Street
MAY PEN
18B Manchester
Avenue
ST ANN’S BAY
8 Royes Street
BLACK RIVER
5 Central Road
MANCHESTER
24 Hargreaves Drive
SAV-LA-MAR
14 Great George Street
For 24 hour service call
1-888-225-5577 I FLOW
1-888-935-5577 I Digicel
Kingston | 733-4845
Montego Bay | 684-1598
Mandeville | 963-7645
Spanish Town | 746-4245
St. Ann | 972-8455
Portmore | 935-3300
Port Antonio | 993-2848
Your account number is:
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Corporate Communications Department
October 2015
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1-888-225-5577 || FLOW
1-888-935-5577 || DIGICEL
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Contents
Getting in touch with us
Getting in touch with us
2
For your convenience
3
How to contact us
if your service is interrupted
4
If you have a complaint
5
Your meter and you
6
Power Outages
7
Paying your light bill
9
Customer Responsibilities
10
Electrical equipment
and 50 cycle
12
Wiring and grounding
13
Equipment Protection
14
Reporting Irregularities
15
The claims process
16
Safety and electricity
17
Energy saving tips
21
Guaranteed Standards
23
Here at JPS we are always ready to serve you. That
is why we have provided you with a number of
different avenues to reach us.
Customer Care Centre
Our Customer Care Centre is open seven (7) days
per week. Just dial the toll free numbers
1-888-225-5577/1-888-CALL JPS
or 1-888-935-5577 (from your Digicel mobile)
The Customer Care Centre is a full service contact
centre where you can access our full range of
services including: reporting emergencies, applying
for service, making account queries, obtaining
updates on your account or gaining access to any
other customer service information.
Customer Service Offices
There is at least one JPS Customer Service office in
each parish as listed at the back of this booklet. Each
office is equipped to handle customer service issues
such as: applications for service, bill payment, meter
investigations and maintenance of customer records.
You Can Also Write Us at:
Jamaica Public Service Company Limited
Customer Care Centre
6 Knutsford Boulevard
Kingston 5
Additional Contacts
Website: www.jpsco.com
Email: calljps@jpsco.com
Fax #: 1-876-936-1966
Facebook: www.facebook.com/myjpsonline
Twitter: www.twitter.com/myjpsonline
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For your convenience
We have made the following services available to you
in an effort to improve our communication with you
and make it easier for you to do business with us:
E-Bill – You can choose to have your bills sent to you
electronically, by providing us with an email address
and advising us of any address change.
Text Messages – A text message is sent to you if we
have your mobile number, as soon as your bill is
prepared advising you of the amount and due date.
An additional message is sent as a reminder 1 day
after the due date has passed.
Special Needs – If you are a residential customer
with verified disabilities or you are chronically ill or
have a medical dependency on electricity, you
should register with the Company’s “Customers with
Special Needs Programme” by completing the
application form, available at parish offices islandwide
and on the JPS website: www.jpsco.com.
How to contact us if your
service is interrupted
If your service is fluctuating intermittently or you
have no supply, please do the following:
1) Verify that your bill has been paid and that you
were not disconnected for non-payment or late
payment. If you have in fact been disconnected,
you are required to pay the outstanding balance
and the associated reconnection charge, then
contact your local JPS Customer Service office
or contact the Customer Care Centre and
request a reconnection.
2) If your service has been interrupted due to a
power outage, please contact the Customer
Care Centre and make a report.
Reconnection
Accounts disconnected for non-payment will only be
reconnected after full payment of all outstanding
amounts, the reconnection fee, (which is $1,923 at
this time) and a deposit upgrade, if this is necessary.
Reconnections are actioned within 24 hours after
payments are made.
Please note that online bank payments are subject
to the official wait time of the specified financial
institution.
You may contact our Customer Care Centre at:
1-888-CALL JPS/1-888-225-5577 (FLOW)
or 1-888-935-5577 (Digicel mobile)
Our Customer Service Offices
are open from 8:15 am to 4:00 pm
Mondays to Thursdays
and
8:15 am to 3:30 pm on Fridays.
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If you have a complaint
Your meter and you
If you are not happy with our service and would like
to make a complaint, please call our 24 hour
Customer Care Centre toll free at 1-888 CALL
JPS/1-888-225-5577 or 1-888-935-5577 (Digicel
mobile), visit the nearest JPS Customer Service office
or write to us at:
JPS personnel should be allowed access to
electricity meters in order that meter readings and
inspections can be conducted from time to time. If
Meter Readers do not have access to your meter this
can result in you receiving estimated bills.
Jamaica Public Service Company Limited
Customer Care Centre
6 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5
Our Customer Service Offices
are open from 8:15 am to 4:00 pm
Mondays to Thursdays and
8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Meters are read on a monthly basis so Meter
Readers can be expected at about the same time
every month.
Important points to remember
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We will make every effort to resolve your issue as
quickly as possible. If your complaint is received by
mail, we will acknowledge receipt of your mail within
5 working days. We will complete the investigation
within 30 working days for normal queries and 60
working days for queries which require detailed
review or third party investigations such as insurance
companies.
If you are still not pleased with the resolution to your
complaint, you have the right to seek a review from
a Senior Officer in the Company.
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Meters should be located as close as possible
to the perimeter fence at the front of the building
and should be approximately 6 feet from the
ground.
Occupants must allow JPS Meter Readers
access to premises to read electricity meters.
All bushes and trees around meters should be
trimmed to prevent obstruction.
Pests or bees in areas close to meters should
be removed.
Where meters in apartment complexes and
businesses are housed in meter rooms, a key
must be provided to JPS.
Buildings should not be extended around
meters (Meters that are located inside homes
are inaccessible to Meter Readers).
Meters should not be cemented into walls.
Meter Rooms should not be used for any other
purposes other than that which they were
intended.
The seals on meters should not be broken
Meters should not be removed unless by an
authorised JPS personnel.
JPS may require that customers have their meters
relocated.
You can:
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Make an appointment to meet with the Parish
Manager
Submit a copy of the complaint along with
initial response from the company, to the
Regional Director responsible for the Parish in
your region.
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Power Outages
Power outages are inconvenient and the interruption
in service can, in some cases, wreak havoc on your
daily activities. A power service by nature is
interruptible however, JPS makes every effort to
ensure that there is minimal disruption in the power
supply and that you are constantly served. Despite
the Company’s best efforts however, there are those
moments when power outages do occur.
There are two main types of outages – planned
(scheduled) and unplanned (unscheduled).
Planned Outages
Planned outages occur when the Company
interrupts the power supply in order to carry out
maintenance work on a section of its lines, or
whenever an emergency situation arises that must
be attended to immediately.
This is usually necessary to ensure the provision of a
reliable supply of electricity to customers. A planned
outage also ensures that our crews work efficiently
in a safe environment.
Unplanned Outages
Unplanned outages are unexpected interruptions in
the flow of electricity. They pose the greatest
inconvenience because they are unplanned and so
no one can prepare for them. These can be caused
by a number of reasons: including but not limited to:
Lightning strikes
Some sections of Jamaica are naturally prone to
lightning strikes. This is unavoidable but does cause
interruptions whenever they come into contact with
power lines, a substation or critical infrastructure.
We have been putting a number of strategies in
place to minimise the impact of lightning strikes on
the system.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents sometimes result in damage
to utility poles and distribution or transmission lines,
causing extended power outages. We also make
every effort to repair the system and restore power
supply as quickly as possible, following a motor
vehicle accident.
Vegetation
This occurs in areas where there is dense, fastgrowing vegetation such as bamboo, which
sometimes make contact with power lines, causing
power outages. To minimise outages caused by
vegetation, we carry out regular bushing activities in
densely vegetated areas throughout the year.
Customers should ensure that trees on their
properties do not interfere with power lines.
Our Feathered Friends
Short circuit conditions can develop when large birds
fly between power lines, however, it is the droppings
of the smaller birds that cause problems in the
substations from time to time. When the droppings
cover the insulators, and there is a little drizzle or
other weather conditions that cause the atmosphere
to become moist, a phenomenon called ‘flashing’
occurs, which results in widespread outages.
We use high voltage electrical tape to cover the
power lines, place covers on the insulators in the
substations, and wash the equipment to minimise
the impact of moisture but some amount of
vulnerability remains.
Impact of the sea
As an island, Jamaica is surrounded by the sea. In
some areas where the power system is in close
vicinity to the sea, salty sea spray may result in
corrosion of electrical equipment causing power
outages. Regular maintenance of these lines helps
to reduce the number of power outages that are
caused in this way.
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Paying your “light” bill
Customer Responsibilities
Now that you have
entered into a contract
with JPS, we remind you
that your bills are generated
monthly covering a period
of approximately 30 days.
The total amount due should
be paid monthly on or before
the due date specified on the
bill. This will qualify you for an
Early Payment Incentive (EPI)
of $250 off your next bill. A
Late Payment Fee (LPF) of
$250 plus GCT is automatically applied to ALL
overdue amounts regardless of their value.
As a JPS customer, you are a part of a partnership
and so we would like you to help us make this
relationship mutually beneficial by playing your part.
You can help us to provide you with the superior
quality service you deserve. As such, we urge you
to take the time to become familiar with the Terms
and Conditions document which is available on
request at our Parish Offices and also on our website
– www.jpsco.com
If, due to unforeseen circumstances, you do not
receive a bill, you are urged to visit your nearest JPS
Customer Service office or contact the Customer Care
Centre at 1-888 CALL JPS/1-888-225-5577 or 1888-953-5577 (for Digicel mobile) to get your bill
balance.
Applying for service
When you are thinking of opening an account with
JPS, you should first ensure that the premises is
ready to receive electricity by getting it certified by
the Government Electrical Inspectorate (GEI).
GEI Certification is required for the following
situations but not limited to:
• Contract for electricity service where there was
no previous supply
• Disconnection of service for more than one year
There are a number of options available for you to
pay your bills.
• Expansion of the premises
These include:
• Adjustment to electrical wiring
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Bill Express (No transaction fee required in JPS offices)
• Rewiring after a fire or other disaster
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CIBC First Caribbean
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Jamaica National and JN Money Shops
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Online services at Scotiabank (BNS) and
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National Commercial Bank (NCB)
You are required to advise JPS of any changes
that might affect your account status or provision
of supply to your premises, for example upgrades
to your facility that may require increased demand
for electricity.
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Paymaster
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Prime Trust Cambio
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Sagicor
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The credit card facility available from the JPS
24–hour Customer Care Centre
• Installation of additional electrical outlets
Equipment furnished by JPS (including Meters/Wires
/Transformers etc) remain the property of the
company and shall be returned in as good a condition
as it was received subject to reasonable wear.
Please ensure that your payments are made to the
correct account number (customer/premises).
Also, if your bill is overdue we encourage you to
make the payments at a Payment Agency and not
online. Please advise the office of your payment at
1-888-CALL JPS/1-888-225-5577.
Our Customer Service Offices are open from
8:15 am to 4:00 pm – Mondays to Thursdays and
8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays.
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Access to Your Premises
JPS values and respects your privacy and security.
However from time to time we will need to access
your premises to read the meter, carry out checks
on equipment, or respond to emergency calls. We
have taken the necessary steps to ensure that you
feel safe and secure when we visit you, by providing
all our employees and agents with company
identification cards.
Our employees also wear uniforms with the
company logo attached, and our contracted agents
are required to wear uniforms bearing the logo of the
Company they represent. If you are uncomfortable
during a visit, please call our Customer Care Centre
to verify that it is an authorised visit.
Who might visit
your home?
Electrical equipment
and 50 cycle
Most electrical equipment operate on a 50-cycle or
60-cycle system. This means that the supply of
electricity that is reaching the equipment is repeated
50 times for the 50-cycle or 60 times for the 60-cycle
in one second. The number of cycles per second
(Hertz) is known as the frequency of the supply.
In Jamaica and the United Kingdom (UK),
equipment operate on 50 Hertz (Hz) while in North
America, the standard is 60 Hz. If 60Hz equipment
is used on the Jamaican 50Hz system, there are
implications for equipment that rotate, e.g.
refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines.
Some of the possible effects are:
•
Equipment with motors will rotate at a slower
pace and overheat as they pull more current
•
Pumps and washing machines will spin at a
slower rate
•
An increase in temperature will result in a
reduction in the lifespan of the equipment
• Meter Readers
• Customer Service
Survey Team
Members
• Field Technicians
and Engineers
• JPS authorised
contractors
Most of our
representatives will
visit your home only
by appointment. If
we have a contact
number for you, we
will call ahead to let you know we are on our way or
for clarification on directions to your premises.
When you go shopping for electrical equipment,
ensure that you buy the correct equipment for the
Jamaican 50-cycle. If the equipment is not 50Hz you
could be wasting money and energy.
There are some visit withouts an appointment.
These may include:
• Meter Readers
• Revenue Protection Representatives – these are
persons who might come to action a disconnection/
reconnection order, carry out routine meter
investigations or check for the legitimacy and
integrity of the service connection and metering
installations.
• Installation Technicians
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Wiring and grounding
Equipment Protection
You should ensure that your electrical wiring meets
the requisite standards both after constructing or
purchasing a building. For this, you need the services
of a Licensed Electrician.
You have a responsibility to protect your equipment
from any form of damage.
It is also necessary to have regular checks/
inspections of the wiring to ensure that the requisite
standards of safety and service are maintained.
The frequency of inspection will vary with the type of
installation; for example, customers with board
houses who have the wires installed on the surface
of the board should have their installation inspected
more frequently than customers with concrete
houses who have their wires installed in the walls in
pipes. This is because rodents (rats) can more easily
eat away the insulation on the wiring of the board
house thus causing a short circuit.
You can do this through regular checks/inspections
of the wiring and grounding on your property to
ensure that the requisite standards of safety and
service are maintained.
Electrical equipment such as television sets,
computers and appliances contain sensitive
electronics that require a smooth, uninterrupted
flow of electricity. Even the slightest electric
disturbance can lead to bothersome computer
reboots, or blinking digital displays, such as on clocks,
VCRs and microwaves. It is therefore important that
customers take responsibility for protecting their
electrical equipment from possible damage. This
can be done through surge protection devices that
offer protection from voltage spikes and surges.
To ensure the continuous protection of electrical
equipment, grounding and internal wiring should be
checked by a Licensed Electrician at least once per
year. Under certain conditions, a poor state of wiring
and grounding can lead, not only, to personal injury,
but to damage to equipment and property.
Surges can be caused by LIGHTNING, which will
cause high voltage in electrical circuits. Others are
caused by the normal operation of switches and
breakers within the house or plugging in and out of
appliances. But while surge protectors are good
protection devices, you should bear in mind that
there is a limit to which they can offer protection.
If alterations or additions are to be done to the house
you should have the wiring of the building re-certified
by the Government Electrical Inspectorate (GEI).
You should also unplug electrical equipment during
a lightning storm and never overload electrical
circuits.
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Reporting Irregularities
The claims process
An individual who is supplying electricity to another,
whether by sale or free of charge, is carrying out an
illegal act which can result in disconnection. JPS
invites you to report irregularities, acts of fraud, illegal
connections, vandalism of equipment etc. in your
community. With the information provided, the
company will be better able to reduce the number of
When making a claim for damage to equipment, you
are required to submit your claim in writing to the
Claims Unit, JPS, 6 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5
or to the nearest Customer Service office. Please
include as much information as possible along
with the date and time of the incident and a
contact number.
illegal connections, and quickly repair damaged
equipment. Additionally, please note that illegal
connections can result in unreliable electricity supply
within your community and this can cause damage
to your property or equipment. JPS cannot be held
responsible for damages that occur under these
circumstances.
JPS will acknowledge receipt of your claim, which
will be forwarded to a JPS investigator who will
schedule an appointment with you for an
investigation to be conducted.
The investigator is required to:
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check and confirm that the equipment is not
working
record the serial number and manufacturing
date of the equipment
conduct system checks
check your grounding, voltage and type of
connection
check the state of the electrical network
including: transformer and wiring
Based on the findings of the investigation, a decision
is taken and you are notified by mail.
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Safety with electricity
Safety with electricity
Electricity plays an important role in our daily lives.
Improper handling of this vital resource can be
dangerous to users. Here are some tips for the safe
handling of electricity.
•
Use only extension cords that have been listed
by a certified organisation.
•
Do not plug extension cords into each other.
•
Do not run extension cords underneath rugs,
carpets and furniture. Walking on cords can
break them and possibly cause a fire.
•
Never reach into water to get an appliance that
has fallen in without first unplugging the
appliance.
Never remove the third prong of a three-pronged
plug. The third prong protects you from
electrical shock. Fit a three-prong plug to a twopronged outlet by using an adapter.
•
Turn off electrical equipment if cords overheat.
Unplug the toaster or toaster oven before using
a knife or fork to remove food particles that are
stuck in it.
•
Do not use damaged or frayed electrical cords.
•
Do not overload electrical circuits by connecting
too many appliances to them.
•
Connect the correct size fuse or circuit breaker
to your electrical circuits for adequate protection.
•
All electrical installations, apparatus and
electrical equipment must be earthed. i.e.
connected to a general mass of earth.
•
All electrical works on buildings MUST be done
by a certified electrician.
•
Electrical equipment/devices should be
connected at the voltage at which they are rated.
•
Approval should be sought from an authorised
source before alterations or additions are done
to existing electrical installations.
Electricity Indoors
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•
•
Remember that electricity and water don’t mix.
Keep all electrical products and cords such as
radio, TV, hairdryer or curling iron away from
water, a sink or tub.
•
To avoid electric shock during a lightning storm
unplug appliances before the storm hits. Avoid
using phones and fax machines during the storm.
•
Unplug unnecessary electrical appliances/
equipment when they are not in use.
•
If a plug fits loosely into a wall outlet, it is an
indication that the wall outlet needs repair. A
loose fitting wall outlet may cause overheating.
•
Use light bulbs that are the proper wattage for
your lighting fixtures. A bulb with wattage that is
too high may lead to overheating and cause a fire.
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Safety with electricity
Safety with electricity
Electricity - Outdoors
Safety Near JPS Lines
•
Outdoor electrical equipment should:
Kite Flying Tips
- Be plugged in and turned on only when in use
•
- Never be left unattended
- Be turned off when being carried or hooked up
to attachments such as mower baskets or saw
blades
•
Keep cords out of your path or work area.
Throwing the cord over your shoulder may help.
•
Keep electrical equipment covered and dry in
between uses.
•
Use only weather resistant heavy gauge
extension cords marked “For Outdoor Use.”
•
Make sure amperage ratings for outdoor
extension cords are higher than the electrical
equipment with which they are used.
•
Select a dry day to use electrical equipment.
•
If electrical equipment falls into a pool or pond,
unplug before retrieval.
•
•
Kites must not be flown near power lines, as
there is the possibility of the tails becoming
entangled in the power lines.
This could lead to:
- Power outages
- Fires
- Damage to the lines which will result in a cost
to the company
- Electrocution or electric shock
•
It is very dangerous to fly kites near power lines
especially when the weather condition is humid
(damp/wet).
•
If a kite or kite tail becomes entangled with
power lines it should be reported to the nearest
JPS office.
Electricity and Children
•
Never touch a downed line. Treat all electrical
equipment, wires and lines as “live” unless
proven otherwise.
Put safety covers on all wall outlets. Avoid
ornamental safety caps that may tempt a child
to play with wall outlets.
•
Stay clear of fallen or dislodged power lines, as
their status is not known.
Make sure that extension cords are not wrapped
around objects as children may pull the cords
and cause damage to themselves.
•
Keep all electrical cords out of the reach and
sight of children to avoid them pulling appliances
off tables and counters.
•
Never leave lamp sockets empty. Always replace
burned out bulbs immediately as children may
be tempted to stick their fingers into the
openings.
•
No object should be used to tamper, touch or
interfere with live electrical wires.
•
Report any irregularities seen on the distribution
and transmission systems to the nearest JPS
office.
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Energy saving tips
Energy saving tips
As the fluctuating cost of oil on the world market
continues to impact the cost of electricity, we are all
encouraged to use energy wisely as our bill is
determined by how much electricity we use. This is
the only area over which you have control. Here are
some energy efficiency tips that you can employ at
home to reduce the amount of electricity you
consume.
Water Heaters
•
Switch on your electric water heater one hour
before use, and switch off immediately after use.
•
Reduce the amount of hot water you use by
installing low-flow showerheads on shower
outlets, and faucet and sink aerators on
bathroom and kitchen pipes.
Air-conditioning
Lighting
•
Turn off lights and appliances which are not
being used.
•
Use energy saving bulbs instead of incandescent
lamps. Fluorescent and LED bulbs last longer
and consume less energy than incandescents.
•
Use one large wattage lamp instead of several
small ones in areas where bright light is needed.
•
Install photoelectric lighting controls for external
or security lighting. They automatically turn on
lights at nights, and off at daybreak
•
Use your air-conditioning only when necessary
– use natural ventilation by opening windows on
cooler days.
•
If you don’t need central air-conditioning,
consider using fans.
•
Don’t set you air conditioning unit thermostat at
a colder setting than normal when you turn your
air conditioner on.
•
Turn off window air conditioners when you leave
a room for several hours.
•
Don’t place lamps or television sets near your air
conditioning thermostat. Heat from the
appliances could cause the air conditioner to
work harder and longer than necessary.
In the Kitchen
•
•
If you cook with electricity, turn off the burners
on your stove several minutes before completing
the allotted cooking time.
Electric stoves use a lot of energy. Maximize the
use of your electric stove by cooking or baking
several dishes at the same time.
•
Use a microwave or pressure cooker to reduce
cooking times
•
Match the cooking pot with the size of your
burner.
•
Turn down the burner when water reaches a
boiling point.
•
Never boil water in an uncovered pot.
•
Keep doors of refrigerators closed and don’t
open unnecessarily. Do not allow ice to build up
in the freezer.
•
Keep refrigerator heat exchange coils (located at
the back or underneath the fridge) clean.
•
Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold:
38° or 40° is recommended for the fresh food
compartment.
Other Tips
•
Iron once a week.
•
Don’t use TV sets as radios – turn off when no
one is watching.
•
Maintain appliances through regular cleaning
and servicing
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