Page 119 - JSIF Magazine Approved-v2-web4

An important element of the intervention
was the visits to households in
the communities by JPS-trained
facilitators to conduct energy audits.
Over 5,000 households were visited.
On these visits residents were given
energy conservation tips and reports
taken of any concerns they may have
with the utility. This element of the
intervention was supported by the JPS
opening a physical service centre in the
project communities, with a qualified
community member being trained
and employed to operate the facility.
This approach has proven a hit, as the
communities feel empowered having
one of their own assisting in bridging
the gap between the utility and the
community.

Why the Social Approach? (l-r) Steve Ascott, Electrical Supervisor Kerrica McGregor, Community Liaison Officer, JPS and Omar Sweeney,
Managing Director, JSIF on a community walk- through of Tawes Meadows. They were looking at the electrical
Previous to this partnership, the work being done in the houses.
efforts at combatting electricity theft
were largely driven by technological
approaches with the JPS investing
billions between 2014-2016, towards
technical solutions. This was
consistent with the global trend of
utilities investing large sums in new
technology to fight theft. The search for
a sustainable solution thus, saw a team
from JPS, JSIF and the Office of Utilities
Regulation (OUR) doing a study tour in
August 2015 to India, where the utility
provider TATA Power, had great success
in reducing theft, through social
partnerships with the communities.

The TATA approach has validated the (l-r) Kenisha Allen, Councillor, Omar Sweeney, JSIF Managing Director, Kelly Tomblin, JPS President & CEO,
original approach by JSIF. The range and Marilyn McDonald-Watson, Program Manager, JPS (right) listen as a resident and customer of JPS
and scope of interventions have been demonstrates how he tops up his “Pay As You Go” meter.
expanded consistent with the TATA
model. The initial results from this
expanded approach remain positive,
resulting in less theft, fewer instances
of injuries from un-regularized
connections, less equipment being
damaged and improvement in
relations between the utility and the
communities.

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