JPS Freezer Swap Initiative in Riverton Meadows empowers small business operators

JPS, through its Community Renewal Department, has taken another step to empower residents in the Riverton Meadows community, more popularly known as Riverton City. The move, dubbed the Freezer Swap Initiative, saw JPS exchanging the old deep freezers being used by some small business operators, for brand new energy efficient deep freezers purchased by JPS. Twenty-five 16 cubic foot deep freezers, with roughly 450 to 500 pounds of storage capacity, have been provided to help these small business operators manage their energy costs, as older deep freezers typically use more electricity than newer models. Many of the deep freezers swapped, were well over 10 to 15 years old with damaged doors and faulty seals, which affected cooling efficiency and product preservation. The businesses benefitting from the Freezer Swap Initiative are mainly cook shops, beverage traders and small grocers. The Riverton Meadows Early Childhood Centre was also among the beneficiaries. The old freezers have since been recycled in the scrap metal sector. This move comes as part of a multi-dimensional effort on the part of JPS, to improve access to electricity and proper use of the service, in communities which have had high levels of unauthorized electricity usage. Enthusiastic Response Response to the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive, with many operators noting that the new freezers offered greater storage capacity than their old units, enabling them to stock more products and potentially improve their business turnover. “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 the Riverton Meadows community since 2024 seeking to enhance the safety and reliability of electricity supply in the area by building out new infrastructure, supporting house wiring (over 200 houses were wired courtesy of the JPS Foundation), conducting energy education sessions and social programmes such as Back-to-School support, parenting workshops and other projects. The Community Renewal Department has been carrying out interventions in several communities across the island, particularly in the Corporate Area, St Catherine and St James, in its 14 years of existence. This arm of the JPS has sought to promote electricity regularisation, through technical and social interventions, thereby improving safety and reliability, in the communities it serves.