Online Consumer Report (OCR)/ Jan-Feb 2018/ Volume 4  Issue 5
OUR’s Mystery Shopping research findings point to
Utilities’ customer service deficiencies...
The OUR recently conducted a mystery shopping exercise at 28 stores operated by JPS, NWC, Digicel and FLOW. The findings were revealed to the utility companies on 2018 March 8.
In photo (left), Kishka Anderson of Market Research Services Ltd, which was commissioned to conduct the mystery shopping research, explains aspects of the major data findings to guests (right). Get more details...
OUR Director General lauds advances in energy sector
Watch this TVJ News Business Review video - Sunday, 2018 March 4.
OUR's Director General, Ansord Hewitt, was among the speakers at the recent groundbreaking for JPS' new energy storage facility.

Following approval from the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a 24.5 megawatt energy-storage facility at its Hunts Bay plant, on Friday, March 2, 2018. The facility – a hybrid energy storage solution - is heralded as being the first of its kind within the Caribbean. This innovation will help to secure electricity grid stability and reliability, in the face of increasing renewable energy power generation.
 
The energy storage solution will have power readily available, in the event that generation from solar and wind renewable systems suddenly diminishes due to cloud cover, reduced wind or other interruptions. It involves a combination of high speed and low speed flywheels and containerised lithium-Ion batteries. Benefits also include a faster, cost effective and environmentally friendly spinning reserve (or back-up power) as an alternative to traditional generation spinning reserve which is required by the utility. The project is to become operational by April 2019 .
In group photo (L-R): Seiji Kawamura, Chairman of JPS, Steven Looney, Vice-President & General Manager, micro grids and distributed generation for North America ABB, Dr Andrew Wheatley, Minister of Science, Energy & Technology (MSET), Emanuel DaRosa, President & CEO, JPS, and Ansord Hewitt, Director General of OUR, break ground for the construction of the JPS 24.5 MW energy storage facility on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston on Friday, 2018 March 2.
10 digit dialling & area code changes revealed to
Manchester business community
We've shared pictorial highlights .
OUR recently hosted a sensitisation seminar for businesses in Manchester. Attendees were made aware of the changes - and responsibilities for businesses - arising from the introduction of Jamaica's additional area code (658). Have a look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) brochure for information on how 10 digit dialling works and what you need to know. Act now!
West St Andrew welcomed us for a #ParishConnections community meeting on February 22, 2018, at Oberlin High in Lawrence Tavern. Utility consumers from over 20 communities within that region were represented.
Emanuel DaRosa, Pres/CEO of JPS was Guest Speaker.
Hon Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, MP, brought greetings.

This was the final event in the islandwide #ParishConnections programme which kicked off in March 2015. OUR brought utility providers @DigicelJamaica @FLOWJamaica @myJPSonline @NWCJam  face-to-face with utility consumers to learn of, and resolve their community-based needs.
OUR hosted its final Schools Connection expo at Ardenne High, for fifth and sixth form students from high schools across the corporate area.
OUR's student-focused expo, held on February 21, 2018, was always a vital component of the islandwide #ParishConnections series of public education outreach activities. Almost 20 schools were represented at the Kgn & St Andrew expo. We've shared our Facebook photo album... LIKE our page and then look for your school. Feel free to share!


Thanks to all participating schools, as well as to Ardenne High for hosting us. Thanks also to utility providers, HEART Trust/NTA and Consumer Affairs Commission .
OUR recently issued Determination Notices for three small water providers. Examine details of OUR's rulings.
VIEW each Determination Notice Can-Cara Landmark Runaway Bay
Presentations made at OUR's
'Emerging Regulatory Issues' Workshop are all
OUR hosted the ' Emerging Regulatory Issues' Workshop
from Feb 6-7, 2018, in New Kingston.

This forum was jointly sponsored by OUR, CDB, USAID and CARCEP, as well as the Canadian High Commission in Jamaica, ahead of two major utility tariff revisions (NWC in 2018 & JPS in 2019).

It was designed to develop solutions surrounding critical issues that will be central to OUR's tariff decision-making process. These include productivity measurement and the development of a Renewable Energy (RE) market in Jamaica (given the increased use of renewable energy power generation within Jamaica's energy mix).

Forward-thinking approaches to matters such as Electric Vehicle (EV) Technology & Infrastructure Development for the electricity grid were also analysed.
Theme:
Emerging Regulatory Issues -
'Examination of Productivity Measurement &
Renewable Energy Developments'.  

All research presentations made at that event are available here
Your Online Consumer Report (OCR) is a publication of OUR's corporate communications team.
publicaffairs@our.org.jm