The Jamaican Government has secured a critical $150-million loan agreement with the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to dramatically accelerate electricity restoration efforts in regions devastated by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. Energy Minister Daryl Vaz announced that 300 additional linemen will be mobilized to arrive before Christmas, significantly boosting recovery operations during the holiday period.
This strategic intervention follows intense negotiations between the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Finance, and JPS. The reinforcement will increase the total workforce to 470 linemen, as the original contingent of 170 will remain operational rather than being demobilized as previously planned. Minister Vaz emphasized that this accelerated timeline—projecting 90% restoration by December and full recovery by January—represents a substantial improvement over initial projections that indicated some communities might have waited until May 2026 for power restoration.
Vaz defended the government’s position, stating that reducing the timeline constitutes a matter of national interest rather than mere convenience. “The Government’s responsibility is to protect the people and there can be no restoration and no progress and no economic growth without electricity,” he asserted during a Monday update.
The enhanced crews are prioritizing areas connected to economic activity and essential services, with significant progress already reported. According to JPS data from December 7, approximately 82% of customers now have electricity, with restoration work continuing across the island. The most severe outages remain concentrated along the western coastline, particularly in Westmoreland where nearly 90% of customers remain without service. Significant disruption also persists in St Elizabeth (54% out), Hanover (48%) and St James (45%).
Notable achievements include the restoration of 97% of major public and private hospitals, including Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, Falmouth Hospital, Cornwall Regional Hospital, and several other critical healthcare facilities. Crews have also restored key water facilities, including the Lower White River NWC pump, which returned to service within the last 24 hours.
Finance Minister Fayval Williams is expected to publish the terms of the $150-million loan shortly. Minister Vaz maintained that the collaboration between government and JPS is working effectively, while urging residents still without power to remain patient as major improvements are expected throughout Christmas and into the new year.