JPS provides new freezers to Riverton Meadows businesses

Twenty-five small business operators in Riverton Meadows have received new energy-efficient deep freezers from the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) under a programme aimed at reducing electricity costs and improving business operations.

The programme, dubbed the Freezer Swap Initiative, is being implemented through JPS’ Community Renewal Department. Under the scheme, the company exchanged ageing deep freezers used by business operators for new 16-cubic-foot units purchased by the power provider.

The new freezers, which have a storage capacity of roughly 450 to 500 pounds, are intended to help operators reduce energy costs. Older units generally consume more electricity and are often less efficient than newer models.

Many of the freezers replaced were more than 10 to 15 years old and had damaged doors and faulty seals, reducing cooling efficiency and affecting product preservation. Beneficiaries include cook-shop operators, beverage vendors and small grocers. The Riverton Meadows Early Childhood Centre also received a new unit.

The old freezers have since been recycled through the scrap-metal sector.

The initiative forms part of a broader effort by JPS to improve access to electricity and encourage the proper use of the service in communities that have experienced high levels of unauthorised electricity use.

Positive response

JPS said the response from business operators has been overwhelmingly positive, with many noting that the replacement freezers offer greater storage capacity than their previous units. The additional space allows them to stock more products and could help increase sales.

“Riverton Meadows is one of the areas that we have been seeing a positive response to the Community Renewal intervention efforts,” said JPS Senior Vice-President of Customer Experience and Commercial Pia Baker. “We are looking forward to continued development in this community, as we blend both technical and socio-economic solutions to assist in improving the quality of life of these residents,” she said.

JPS has been working in Riverton Meadows since 2024 to improve the safety and reliability of electricity supply in the community. Its interventions have included the construction of new infrastructure, support for house wiring, and a range of social-development initiatives.

More than 200 homes have been wired through support from the JPS Foundation. The company has also conducted energy-education sessions and implemented programmes such as back-to-school assistance, parenting workshops and other community projects.

The Community Renewal Department has carried out interventions in several communities across the island during its 14 years of operation, particularly in the Corporate Area, St Catherine and St James. Through a combination of technical upgrades and social programmes, the department has sought to promote the regularisation of electricity connections while improving safety and reliability in the communities it serves.