Some Jamaica Public Service, (JPS), customers receiving estimated bills will benefit from a 40 percent reprieve.

This after the office of utilities regulation, (OUR), approved a mechanism for calculating estimated bills.

The JPS had earlier indicated that some customers would get estimated bills following disruption of operations by Hurricane Beryl.

There was public outcry to this announcement, with both the government and opposition calling on the JPS to reconsider the move.

The JPS submitted a request to the OUR, for a review of the mechanism for calculating estimated bills, specifically for customers impacted by extended outages.

In a statement last evening, the OUR said the decision for the reprieve, follows a meeting with JPS after the power company notified the public about issuing estimated bills to some customers due to an inability to access meters in certain areas, especially those badly damaged by Hurricane Beryl.

The OUR said JPS advised that for the billing cycle July 8 to 22, 485 thousand bills were issued.

Of this number, 120,000 customers were billed based on estimated consumption.

A further two hundred and 26,000 bills were yet to be issued, of which 56,000 were to be billed on estimated consumption.

OUR Director-General Ansord Hewitt, pointed out that while the JPS is authorised to issue estimated bills, it must be recognised that this arrangement was constructed for normal conditions.

Hewitt said under circumstances where many customers have had no power for the majority of the billing period and are already feeling the financial fallout with the restoration of their homes and livelihoods, it cannot be fair for them to be asked to pay for more than what they consume.

Following inquiries with JPS about customer impact and available alternatives to soften the billing impact of consumers, the OUR agreed to a waiver of the mechanism for calculating estimated bills, specifically for customers impacted by extended outages.

The objective is to lessen the impact on persons who could bear an increased financial burden if the prescribed regulatory methodology was used.

Approval of a 0.6 factor to the consumption estimate, based on the last three actual readings to determine the net consumption, would mean a 40% reduction on the average for customers.

These customers would be billed at 60% of what JPS estimated.

For customers with smart meters, who were not already billed, the OUR also granted approval for JPS to use the last recorded reading.

JPS is required to indicate to the OUR how it will deal with those customers who already received estimated bills in July, as they should also benefit from similar treatment.

The director-general took note of, and commended the JPS for implementing other discretionary measures for customers.

These relate to relaxed collections and disconnection processes.

JPS has relaxed its collections and disconnection processes.

The company has not disconnected customers for non-payment of bills, since the passage of the hurricane.

JPS will also continue to facilitate flexible payment arrangements for customers who need extensions on their due dates.

Requests are being dealt with on a case-by-case basis, so persons requiring extensions should make their request with the power company.

The OUR has urged JPS to make further provision for customers who have not had electricity since July 3 and would not consequently benefit from a 20 percent discount.