Residents attack JPS crew during massive illegal connections operation

A total of 1,220 illegal connections were removed from the JPS grid during the operation carried out February 27 in the community which has a theft rate “well over 90 percent”. 

In a statement the JPS said: “What began as a routine effort to encourage regularization, however, ended with hundreds of residents surrounding and intimidating the JPS crew with suggestions of violence.  The team subsequently left the community, after encouraging residents to do the right and safe thing, by becoming legal JPS customers.  The electricity theft rate in Jones Town is well over 90 percent.

“This is not the first time that JPS teams have come under threat from persons in various communities, who have either interrupted or completely halted the work of teams which are trying to carry out operations to promote regularization.

“The company is appealing to persons not to interfere with crew members carrying out their lawful duties, but rather to become regularized for the safety of their families and personal property.”

Last year alone the company said close of US$20 million was spent on efforts mitigating electricity theft.

At a recent town hall meeting in Spring Village, the Office of Utilities Regulation confirmed that an estimated 12 percent of loss revenue as a direct result of electricity theft, is apportioned to legitimate JPS customers.

This, the OUR said, is necessary to ensure JPS investors get a “reasonable return on their investment” .