JPS in “Last Mile” of Power Restoration

Crews from North America, who have been in Jamaica to assist with power restoration efforts since late October 2025, will depart the island this weekend, as the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company enters the final phase of recovery and restoration.

JPS President and Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Grant, made the disclosure in his address at Wednesday’s (February 11) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

“This is the last mile,” he said.

In addition to the demobilisation of the North American line workers, Mr. Grant said this final phase involves redirection of local and regional teams from the central and eastern parishes that have been restored, to the western region.

“We have 18 Caribbean utilities through the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), along with regional contracting firms, who continue to support us. This, of course, is while working alongside our own JPS crews to bring that restoration to completion,” he said.

CARILEC is an association of electric energy solution providers.

As of February 11, a total of 97.5 per cent of JPS customers have electricity across Jamaica.

“That means that approximately 673,000 of our 690,000 customers now have power,” Mr. Grant said.

“This progress did not happen by chance. It reflects methodical preparation, investment in our grid, anchored with improvements in technology, disciplined planning, strong execution and very importantly, heightened and effective partnerships,” he pointed out.

Mr. Grant noted that the JPS has taken a customer-focused approach to ensure fast and safe restoration.

These initiatives include enhanced pre-hurricane coordination with fellow utilities, a new incident command structure to better streamline the response, deeper and broader stakeholder engagement, and clear, concise communication with customers across multiple channels.

In addition, Mr. Grant said that through innovations such as the emergency mobile power generator, the JPS has provided power to essential services sooner and helped businesses to reopen while the JPS undertakes permanent design and rebuild of the grid infrastructure.

The JPS President said that Jamaican line workers have formed the cornerstone of the company’s restoration effort, and were supported by overseas crews, particularly from North America.

“The work involved heavy lifting in devastated communities, rebuilding the backbone of the grid and using specialised, large equipment to stabilise and rebuild damaged infrastructure,” he pointed out.

“As the overseas crews leave the island this weekend, I want to extend my thanks for their tireless efforts throughout the restoration process,” he said.

Mr. Grant said that partnerships with the Government of Jamaica, National Water Commission (NWC), National Works Agency (NWA), telecom providers Flow and Digicel and CARILEC and the wider business community and leaders “have carried us thus far, and it is these partnerships that will carry us through the final stages of restoration”.