JPS to Deploy Additional Resources in the West to Accelerate Restoration of Electricity

The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) will be deploying additional resources, including specialised vehicles and equipment as well as 300 overseas line workers, in the western section of the island to accelerate the restoration of electricity.

Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, Hon. Daryl Vaz, provided an update on the steps to accelerate restoration, during a press conference at the PCJ Building in New Kingston, on December 16.

“This significant scale-up in manpower and equipment is designed to allow multiple crews to work simultaneously across affected communities, substantially reducing restoration timelines. Based on this expanded capacity, the target is to achieve approximately 90 per cent, a conservative figure, of customer restoration by mid-January 2026, with continued progress, thereafter, where access and safety conditions permit,” he said.

He informed that the first 100 linesmen arrived on December 15, a further 100 will follow on December 17, and the final contingent is expected to arrive just before Christmas.

“These crews are being assigned primarily to Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, St. James, Hanover, and Trelawny, alongside JPS teams and local contractors strategically redeployed from eastern and central parishes,” he said.

The Minister informed that engineering and planning personnel have also been mobilised to support the redesign and rebuild of heavily damaged sections of the network. He added that they will be integrated immediately to continue the restoration efforts in the hardest-hit parishes.

In addition, he said 200 specialised vehicles and pieces of equipment, including bucket trucks, diggers, excavators, and pole carriers, are scheduled to begin arriving on December 24.

“Right now, based on projections, we will have one barge arriving in Kingston on the 24th and one barge arriving on Christmas Day with the additional equipment,” he said.

As at the latest update, Westmoreland has approximately 88 per cent of customers still without service; St. Elizabeth, 50 per cent; St. James, 45 per cent; Trelawny, 39 per cent; and Hanover, 36 per cent.

Approximately 84 per cent of JPS customers have been restored as of Monday, December 15, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Furthermore, he provided an update on the restoration activities by Christmas, noting that all customers in St. Catherine, Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas, St. Mary, Portland are to be restored by Christmas, except for those in areas that might have access issues.

He further informed that 95 per cent of customers in Clarendon and Manchester; 80 per cent in St. Ann; and 75 per cent in Trelawny will be restored by Christmas.

The Minister also noted that additional communities in Manchester, St. Ann, St. James, Hanover, St. Elizabeth, Trelawny and Westmoreland will be restored by Christmas.

He said the objective is to move well beyond the current 84 per cent restoration level and reconnect majority of remaining customers as early as possible between Christmas and the New Year, always subject to safety and access conditions.

Furthermore, Minister Vaz said the JPS loan announced as approved, concluded yesterday (December 15), signed by both the Ministry of Finance and JPS as per loan document.

Cabinet has approved a US$150-million loan to the JPS to facilitate restoration efforts without extending the current existing licence, which expires in 2027.

Minister Vaz said the purpose of the loan is to financially support enhanced paced restoration activities for the transmission and distribution grid, resulting from the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

“I want to assure the country that this will be monitored by both the Government and the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) to make sure there is no diversion and to meet the specified timelines of restoration,” he said.