KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has unveiled its comprehensive strategy to achieve near-complete electrification by spring’s end, targeting the nation’s most isolated communities across four western parishes. The utility provider’s latest announcement identifies specific localities in St James, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, and Hanover scheduled to receive grid connection before March 31.
This development follows JPS’s successful February initiative that reduced the number of powerless households to under 9,000—representing just 1% of their total customer base. The upcoming phase promises to restore electricity to approximately 5,000 additional customers, marking a significant milestone in Jamaica’s infrastructure recovery efforts.
The company acknowledges substantial technical challenges ahead, with crews preparing to navigate extremely rocky terrain where conventional machinery cannot operate. Pole installation in these remote areas requires specialized techniques that may prolong the process, but JPS maintains unwavering commitment to completing the task.
Corporate communications emphasize that some households within targeted communities might experience delayed restoration due to property-specific issues. Customers whose buildings suffered structural damage or flooding during recent hurricanes are advised to commission certified electricians for safety inspections before reconnection.
JPS anticipates approximately 3,000 customers will remain without power after March, with another restoration list scheduled for publication in April. The current initiative covers numerous communities including Huntley and Kemshot in St James; extensive areas of Westmoreland from Alma to York Mountain; multiple districts in St Elizabeth from Allen Crescent to Zeena Way; and the Haughton Grove to Miles Town corridor in Hanover.