Power coming back to sections of Black River as JPS ramps up restoration

 

President and CEO of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), Hugh Grant, says teams are working to have key areas and facilities back on the grid in a reasonable time. 

 

Mr. Grant says, through strong partnerships, the light and power company has employed creative solutions to get closer to full restoration. 

 

"The restoration is to restore major town centres and hospitals, and Black River is one outstanding one, given the level of devastation. So we have partnered and come up with creative solutions in order to facilitate that restoration. And I'm thankful for all who have been involved. As we speak right now, the teams are all there working tirelessly to facilitate that restoration, knowing its significance. There are still rivers to cross. But the one thing we are doing through our strong partnerships is that we are finding our way across," he committed.

 

He has pledged that electricity will be returning to Black River by Thursday night. 

 

"We are extending distribution lines from neighbouring parishes where feasible. To restore Black River and the Black River Hospital, crews are working on executing with unique and innovative solutions to expand the network fed to get power into the town of Black River. Over the past week, over 150 additional line workers have been deployed with additional equipment to enhance our restoration efforts. We are also creating some new solutions whereby we'll be having a separate island in Maggotty, to facilitate restoring power to that community and that town also," he noted.

 

Mr. Grant was speaking Wednesday at the official commissioning of the Emergency Mobile Power Generation Unit in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth.