Jamaica Public Service (JPS) engineers at work. (File photo)
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The majority of Jamaica Power Utility (JPS) customers are expected to have power restored by this Saturday, July 13, according to a statement from the power company.
But that doesn’t include the majority of customers in South Central Parish of St. Elizabeth, where JPS infrastructure was hit hard by Hurricane Beryl, which struck the island on July 3, causing billions of dollars in damage.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the House of Representatives on Tuesday that Beryl had downed 257 light poles in the hardest-hit grain belt towns.
The prime minister said a JEPCO report showed that in addition to the fallen utility poles, 225 insulators and cross arms, 105 conductors and 13 transformers were damaged.
On the bright side, JPS said it had restored power to 84% of its customers, or 581,000 people, by Tuesday, with the majority on track to receive power by Saturday. Unfortunately for St. Elizabeth residents, many will have to wait until early August for critical power supplies to be restored.
“Recovery efforts are underway (in St Elizabeth) but, given the scale of the damage, will take several weeks to complete. I would like to assure all Jamaicans that Government is closely monitoring progress and will take all steps to expedite the recovery timeline,” the Prime Minister assured.
He also told council that some customers in the parish, including Black River Hospital, began receiving electricity starting Tuesday morning.
