JPS promises improved power supply after spending US$116M on grid

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is promising a more reliable power supply with an improved grid in which it has invested US$116 million this year. 

In a release, JPS said a major part of the improvement will come from the construction of an energy storage facility at Hunts Bay, St Andrew at a cost of US$17.3 million. It said this will help to improve reliability through the creation of a more flexible grid, that can accommodate more renewables. 

When complete in 2019, the system will act as a battery back-up when fluctuations in power supply occur, due to the intermittency of renewables and other factors, JPS explained..

The energy company said it has spent some US$1.5 million to install distribution automatic switches, including trip savers and fault circuit indicators.

These devices are expected to further modernise the country's electricity grid as they will detect faults, minimise their impact, and restore power automatically to customers.

"Several customers across the island are already beginning to reap the benefit of these investments, evidenced by fewer outages," JPS said.

Also, the country's sole electricity distributor said it has spent about US$2.6 million on a voltage standardisation project in St Andrew and St Ann. This is expected to result in better power quality and improved reliability in the power supply to customers in these areas when completed.

The resort town of Ocho Rios, in particular, is expected to have "a more robust grid and improved power supply".

The light and power utility said it was committed to undertaking further improvements to the grid with the use of advance technologies.

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