Jamaica reaches 75% smart meter coverage
Image: JPSCo
Jamaica Public Service Company has reported that 520,000 smart meters were installed at the end of January, corresponding to about 75% of the customer base.
The rollout, launched in 2015, has seen a J$14 billion (US$90 million) investment as part of the initiative to modernise the electricity network and improve the customer experience.
Since late 2023 the project primarily focussed on St Mary parish, to the north of the capital, Kingston.
Other parishes on this eastern side of the island, including Portland and southern sections of Kingston and St. Andrew, are due to be completed later this year.
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Smart meter customers can track their consumption with the company’s MyJPS mobile app and also benefit from other services including remote connection/disconnection and account transfers and switching between postpaid and prepaid options.
“Our ongoing future-oriented approach, underscores our dedication to providing faster, more efficient service,” said Pia Baker, Senior VP of Customer Experience and Commercial at JPS.
“We are proud of the progress we have made and the positive impact it is having on our customers’ experiences.”
Under a 2018 agreement, Itron was contracted to extend the existing Gen 5 network to support the full 670,000 smart meter deployment, while the smart meters were being provided by Aclara.
In other news, JPSCo has been awarded a US$100 million financing package from IDB Invest for its 2024-2025 investment programme for the ongoing modernisation of its grid, including the smart meter deployment and transmission and distribution upgrades, and the expansion of access to new customers.
Additionally, the funding should support JPS’s continuing digital transformation through cloud-based solutions as well as the island’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure development, including 17 new EV charging stations.
These are expected to support a rapid rollout of renewable energies and storage technology.
Currently, approximately 14% of Jamaica’s energy supply is renewable, primarily hydro, wind and solar.
