JPS says it underestimated damage from Hurricane Beryl

By Nakinskie Robinson    

 

The Jamaica Public Service Company has indicated that power has been restored to 80 per cent of affected areas in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Thomas and St. Catherine.

 

Chairman, Damian Obiglio, says the company underestimated the damage sustained.  

 

"We failed in telling you how big was the damage that was done on the transmission lines and how difficult has been the access to certain parts of the country. We have enough power on the generation site to supply any demand at the moment that it presents. St. Elizabeth, we haven't been able to inspect 100 per cent of our lines there, only 20 per cent. And the damages that we have seen in 20 per cent are five times that we have seen in any other part of the country. So St. Elizabeth is going to require very dedicated and intensive actions to be restored back to service," he declared.    

 

More than 315,000 or 45 per cent of customers now have power.

 

Meanwhile, Acting Vice President at the National Water Commission (NWC), Kevin Kerr, said service has been restored to 30 per cent of affected users, while work continues to get the commodity back to the remaining 70 per cent. 

 

Mr. Kerr said St. Elizabeth, Manchester and parts of Westmoreland are severely affected. 

 

The Mona and Constant Spring water treatment plants are back in operation, while the Martha Brae and Great River treatment plants are currently operating on generator.

 

In the meantime, the National Works Agency (NWA) has indicated that the under 200 roads impacted by Hurricane Beryl have been cleared.