JPS pushes ahead with $17b investment to strengthen power grid

 

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is pushing forward with its multi-billion dollar operation to make the country's power grid more resilient to extreme weather. 

 

It comes as the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season draws closer. 

 

The action plan follows the damage sustained during Hurricane Beryl last July. 

 

The weather system, which reached a high of Category 5, swept across the island at Category 4 and left parts of the southern section without electricity for more than a month. 

 

The blackout was caused by felled power lines and light posts as well as damage to the power grid. 

 

Soleta Thomas, Corporate Communications Assistant at JPS, says the light and power company is acting on the lessons learned during the last hurricane season.

 

"Our preparations would have started from the beginning of the year or as early as last year. One of the major things that we are doing is that we are investing $17 billion this year to modernise the grid - $17 billion. And we are doing this so we can improve reliability and build resilience. The aim is really so that the grid can withstand a Category 5 hurricane, and that includes replacing poles and lines, we're clearing vegetation and we're upgrading key infrastructure. Since last year what we started to do is to intensify our approach to maintenance," she outlined.

 

She said hurricane drills have also been intensified with the inclusion of local and regional partners.

 

"So far we have had two hurricane drills. There is one to come next week Monday, so we are getting our teams ready, and for the very first time we introduced an inter-utility drill where we had partners included as well such as Flow, NWC [National Water Commission], we had ODPEM [Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management] and that was really really good. These combined drills help us to strengthen our coordination and identify any gap just to prepare and ensure that all the utilities and all the stakeholders are prepared," said Ms. Thomas, who was speaking Tuesday morning on Radio Jamaica's Hotline.

 

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. 

 

The light and power company has said it is also undertaking the upgrades of traditional metres to smart metres. 

 

That exercise started in Manchester as JPS seeks to reduce estimated bills and facilitate faster reconnections. 

 

The upgrades started this month and will continue through June.