THE OFFICE of Utilities Regulation says it is satisfied that the forced outages due to generation problems in July were not as a result of any improper action or poor decision making on the part of the Jamaica Public Service Company.
However, the utitlities regulator has directed the company to ensure that future outages planned on the transmission system be completed within the published times.
"A mechanism will have to be found to compensate customers should planned outages on the transmission system continue to extend beyond the published times," said OUR in a release issued Friday.
Customers of the JPSCo experienced abnormal levels of outages from July 14-18 "of such a scope and frequency" that it prompted the state regulator to conduct an investigation to find out the cause.
AVAILABLE CAPACITY
The agency found that on each of the days, except the Monday and Thursday, demand exceeded available capacity at some point during the day and that the cause of each forced outage was due to a system defect, mechanical or electrical. Based on the findings, director-general J. Paul Morgan, said the Office regards the timely completion and commissioning of the new plant at Bogue "as critically important and an absolute priority" for the company and the country.
He said OUR has directed JPSCo to ensure that: there is no repeat of the circumstances that led to the outage on July 17; each outage is completed within the published time; and that road works are not hampered by delays in relocating the electric system infrastructure.
