Gov't to spend $750m on standby generators for NWC

By Halshane Burke 

  

The government is to spend $750 million to provide standby generators at critical installations of the National Water Commission.

 

Since the passage of Hurricane Beryl two weeks ago, a number of areas remain without electricity, which has negatively affected the production and distribution ability of the water agency.

 

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the generator acquisition is part of an aggressive resilience plan for the NWC. 

 

"The NWC is the largest customer of the JPS (Jamaica Public Service Company). But as we try to build a weatherproof system, and as we try to build resilience in our public utilities, the government has taken the decision that critical pumping stations for the NWC must have their own backup supply," he said. 

 

"The first assessment towards this is the government will have to spend $750 million to acquire these backup generators, and we will continue to do this exercise until the entire NWC system has its backup capacity and capability to continue the distribution and production of water, even if the main electrical utility fails," the Prime Minister announced. 

 

Additionally, Mr. Holness announced that mobile generators will be used to recharge pumping stations currently without electricity.