KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has entered the decisive final stage of restoring electricity across the island following the devastation wrought by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa last October. The utility company is concentrating significant resources on reconstructing St Elizabeth’s transmission infrastructure, which suffered extensive damage during the catastrophic weather event.
This development emerged from a high-level meeting on January 14 between JPS executives and council members of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation. The discussion centered on the complex process of rehabilitating the high-voltage transmission network that channels electricity from generation facilities to substations island-wide.
JPS President and CEO Hugh Grant detailed the massive deployment of personnel, revealing that hundreds of line workers have been assigned to western parishes, with over 200 specialists dedicated specifically to St Elizabeth—known as Jamaica’s agricultural heartland. Grant explained the technical sequence required for successful restoration: ‘Our methodology requires first repairing transmission lines that deliver power to substations. Once these substations become operational, they reduce voltage to levels safe for community distribution.’
The reconstruction effort presents substantial logistical challenges, particularly in St Elizabeth where crews must reroute, repair, or completely rebuild more than 20 miles of transmission lines. Grant highlighted the topographical difficulties: ‘Significant portions of our infrastructure traverse rugged, mountainous terrain. While this makes the process both labor-intensive and time-consuming, our teams have maintained 24/7 operations to reactivate the network.’
Despite measurable progress, the CEO acknowledged that certain remote sections of the transmission system will require extended timelines for completion. Accessibility issues occasionally prevent heavy machinery from reaching work sites, forcing crews to devise innovative solutions to advance the restoration.
Grant emphasized that reconnecting customers who have endured over two months without electricity remains the company’s absolute priority. The meeting, presided over by Black River Mayor and Municipal Corporation Chairman Councillor Richard Solomon, concluded with council members receiving detailed updates on restoration timelines for their respective districts.