Why JPS Co resumed Net Billing as PAYG Digital Meters and Mobile App heralds Lower Electricity Costs

Net billing is now back, making Solar Power installer breathe a sigh of relief.

Net billing is set to resume on Monday, April 11^th 2016 as reported in the article “Net Billing To Resume, Energy Ministry Announces Amnesty”, published Saturday April 9, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This is possible thanks to an agreement between the Ministry of Science, Technology Energy and Mining, JPS Co (Jamaica Public Service Company) and the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation). The three bodies are working on a permanent programme.

According to the Ministry of Science, Technology Energy and Mining as of March 2015:

1.      351 applications for net billing were received

2.      311 have been granted licences

The is also a six (6) month amnesty in place stating Monday, April 11^th 2016 for persons without a Net Billing license to obtain one.

JPS Co and Net Billing – Net Billing suspension related to Revenue erosion by Solar Installations

Good to note that Net billing had been suspended by JPS Co on Friday May 1st 2015 as pointed out in my blog article entitled “JA$4.2 Million Meadowbrook High Solar System - Why JPS Co's Net Billing suspension killing Jamaican Alternative Energy Sector”.

No reason was given, but clearly, the increasing number of Net billing applicants had JPS Co were seeing their revenue base was being eroded by so many people trying to monetize selling their excess electricity.

However, by January 2016, JPS Co was clearly ready to embrace a Jamaica going Alternative Energy with the resumption of Net Billing as reported in the article “Net Billing Programme to Resume”, published January 28, 2016 By Chris Patterson, The Jamaica Information Service.

JPS Co and Net Billing – PAYG Digital Meters and mobile App heralds lower electricity costs

Part of the reason may have been the fact that JPS Co's grid is switching to Digital Meters with the option to go PAYG (Pays as You Go) Prepaid as noted in my blog article entitled “JPS Co's Prepaid Meters coming in 2016 - Why Prepaid Meters adoption will explode in Jamaica”. 

JPS Co had announced plans to roll out a new Mobile Money enabled JPS Co smartphone App come September 2016 as noted in my blog article entitled “How JPS Co App for Digital smartmeter means paying Electricity Bill via Mobile Money” 

So by then, you'll have the option to pay your Electricity Bill via this Mobile Money enabled JPS Co smartphone App, possibly accepting CONEC mobile Wallet payments and  even Digicel and Paymaster Mobile Wallets as predicted in my blog article entitled “Why CONEC Mobile Money to pay JPS Co EBILL before Digicel Paymaster Mobile Money”.

 

More convenient billing options means an increased number of people willing to be regularized and translates to less delinquent customers.

Increased efficiencies due to their upgrade of the Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine Power station to a 190 MW LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) plant with the help of American contractor New Fortress as detailed in the article “JPS Gets Green Light To Build 190MW Plant”, Published Thursday March 24, 2016 by McPherse Thompson, The Jamaica Gleaner means lower electricity costs in the long term.

Net Billing is now more tolerable as it will stabilize the grid as they collect from more customers.