POLÍTICA NUCLEAR
Table 2
STATITICS ON PUBLIC EUCTRIClTY GENERATION
NQ o/ Customers
.
Average Consumption lor Peak Gelner,atllln
Year
Residential
Total Re9i'li!ential ,Customers (Kwhr) (Mcgawatt)
1972
1976
113,750
153,272
135,343
177,943
2483
2256
194
239
The cost 'Of 'OH imp'Orted t'O Jamaica had remained ,almost constant
between 1962 and 1972. In that year the price 'Of imponed 'Oíl was
ab'Out
$
1.58
(us)
per barrel, but now it ís ab'Ove
$
13
(us)
per barrel
and climbing. The c'Ost 'Of electricity has, 'Of course, f'Oll'Owed the
c'Ost 'Of 'Oil. The c'Ost t'O residential cust'Omers per lál'Owatt hour m'O–
ved fr'Om 2.8 cents in 1962,2.6 cents in 1972 t'O 8.8 cents in 1976 and
is now ab'Out
10
cents with price increases always around the c'Orner.
INDUSTRIAL USERS
'OF
ELECTRICITY
The 'Only majar industries which generate significant amounts 'Of
energy f'Or internal use are sugar and bauxitefalumina. Bagasse is
used as fuel 'On the sugar estates and still contributes a significant
pr'Op'Orti'On 'Of the nati'Onal energy demand alth'Ough this has been
falling 'Over the years fr'Om 27'% in 1961 to 11'% in 1973. This, 'Of
c'Ourse, repr.esents a large percentage 'Oí the energy requirements
'Of the sugar industry. The biggest user 'Of energy is the bauxitefalu–
mina industry. Bauxite is a very large l'Ocal industry. S'Ome 14 mil·
li'On t'Ons per year are exp'Orted and ab'Out an'Other six milli'On t'Ons
are refined annually t'O alumina. The industry even with'Out smelt–
ing, isenergy intensive and acc'Ounts as menti'Oned earlier f'Or 50%
'Of the nati'Onal energy consumpti'On.
The electricity generating capacity 'Of industry is quite substan–
tial. In 1973 it was 253 megawatts compared with 427 in the public
supply system t'O give a t'Otal installed capadty 'Of ab'Out 680 me–
gawatts.
