JPS promises bright Christmas - Company commissions 25MW energy storage system
Published:Thursday | December 12, 2019 | 12:26 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Staff Reporter
The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) yesterday commissioned a J$3.7-billion Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston as part of efforts to mitigate against service interruptions that its customers suffer.
Gary Barrow, chief operating officer of the JPS, gave the assurance yesterday that Jamaicans would have a bright Christmas, noting that the company’s teams are working tirelessly to ensure that there are no interruptions in service.
Last month, the JPS had to carry out load-shedding in several parishes owing to power-generation shortfall on the part of generating units belonging to the company and its independent power producers.
“We are working assiduously to make sure that the generation capability is there and that the grid is able to serve us not only during the Christmas season, but right throughout,” Barrow insisted.
The 25-megawatt hybrid energy storage facility is primarily designed to incorporate more renewable energy such as wind and solar.
“If you have sudden cloud cover, and we have a fall-off of generation, this system will immediately respond to shore up the generation so that we don’t have any grid instability issues,” he said.
The hybrid storage system is the first of its kind in the Caribbean and the largest battery-flywheel hybrid in the world.
President and chief executive officer of the JPS, Emanuel DaRosa, described the HESS as a game-changer.
“It will help to improve the reliability of power supply to our customers. It also supports Jamaica’s Vision 2030 renewable energy goal by mitigating the impact of increasing renewables on the national grid,” he said.
DaRosa also indicated that the company was doing final tests on its new 190-megawatt natural gas power plant in Old Harbour, which will support the national goal of cleaner energy.
“This plant will not ony generate cleaner energy, but the new technology it utilises will also support the integration of renewables on the grid,” he said.