Thousands of streetlights repaired this year – JPS

The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) is reporting that it has repaired thousands of street lights since the start of the year. As at October 31, the energy company has repaired 16,277 streetlights islandwide.

In addition to street light repairs, some 35,000 street lights will be upgraded by the end of the year, to smart LED lights, which are more energy efficient and have a longer service life, the company said in a press release yesterday.

The upgrading programme will eventually cover all 105,000 street lights that the company owns across the island. The smart LED street lights will enhance monitoring and maintenance, as signals can be sent remotely from the street light to the company, indicating that repairs are due, among other features.

REPAIR CHALLENGES

JPS said it continues to make every effort to repair street lights, however, it has encountered several challenges with keeping the lights on. These include the theft of lamps; wilful destruction of street lights; electricity theft, and the subsequent loss of lights and transformers.

The release said the company has also found that there are areas in which persons have deliberately knocked out, shot, or otherwise destroyed the lamps to create a cover for illegal activities. Other lights have been lost when individuals, seeking to illegally abstract electricity, tap on to the street lights to power their homes. The street lights, which are not designed to carry household loads, become burnt and destroyed.

"Although the company faces several challenges, JPS does, however, continue to work closely with the Government, and in particular, the local parish councillors, to meet the needs of customers," the company said.

On the matter of installation of new street lights in communities, JPS is reminding persons that applications for street lights are to be directed to the Ministry of Local Government, as the company must be authorised by the parish council to install new street -lighting infrastructure.