JPS Restores Power to 55 Per Cent of Customers

The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company is reporting that power has been restored to 55 per cent of customers.

“We have been making significant progress in regard to overall restoration. [Immediately following] the passage of Hurricane Melissa, we had 23 per cent of customers in service. To date, we have 55 per cent of customers in service. That is over 380,000 customers [in service],” said JPS President and Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Grant.

He was addressing a press briefing on Hurricane Melissa recovery activities on Thursday (November 6) at Jamaica House in Kingston.

Mr. Grant said the company has been prioritising restoration of power at hospitals and other key facilities and sectors.

He informed that more than 40 per cent of customers in Manchester have power, more than 60 per cent in Portland, and more than 65 per cent in Clarendon.

The JPS continues to make progress in St. Mary and St. Ann, Mr. Grant said, noting that focus is being placed on powering the hospitals and the town centres in the parishes.

Giving an update on western Jamaica, which bore the brunt of the devastation from Hurricane Melissa, Mr. Grant reported there is no major power supply at this time in Trelawny, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth and Hanover.

In St. James, he said that the company was able to restart the Bogue power plant in Montego Bay, and priority is being given to restoring power to key economic centres, hospitals, National Water Commission (NWC) water pumps and other critical facilities.

Approximately 100 overseas line workers arrived in the island on Thursday bringing the total restoration crew complement to more than 230.