Jamaica seeks cheaper energy after high electricity billsCEFR A2
10 Jan 2025
Adapted from Guest Contributor, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Kenrick Baksh, Unsplash
After Hurricane Beryl last July, many Jamaicans said their electricity bills rose sharply. Customers complained that the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) charged them too much. The energy minister, Daryl Vaz, asked the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) to review the bills.
The OUR recommended that customers who received estimated bills in July should pay 40 percent less on their August bills. Small business owner Sasha Williams, who runs a bar in Portland, said the high bills hurt her business. The government is looking at alternatives to lower energy costs, especially solar and ocean energy.
Difficult words
- estimate — to guess the amount or valueestimated
- recommend — to say someone should do somethingrecommended
- customer — a person who buys goods or servicesCustomers
- bill — a paper or amount a person must paybills
- alternative — another choice or different optionalternatives
- charge — to ask someone to pay moneycharged
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you or someone you know ever received an estimated bill? What happened?
- How would lower electricity bills help small businesses in your town?
- Do you think your country should use more solar or ocean energy? Why or why not?
