JPS: 10,000 customers still affected as restoration efforts continue after storm Rafael

The Jamaica Public Service says approximately 10,000 customers are still without electricity following Tropical Storm Rafael, though it has restored power to most of those affected. 

The company's president and chief executive officer Hugh Grant, said that less than five percent of the company's 692,000 customers had lost power after the storm passed near Jamaica Tuesday, leaving flooded streets and roads blocked by landslides. 

“The largest number of customers without electricity at any point during the storm was 30,000. As at 3 o'clock this afternoon (November 6), we had brought that number down to 10,000 – that's less than two percent of our overall customer base,” he explained in a JPS statement. 

Grant said that, despite ongoing challenges with persistent heavy rains and strong winds in some parishes, JPS teams were continuing their efforts to get supply back to customers, where it was safe to do so.

“We understand the great inconvenience being experienced by our customers who are still without electricity. I would like to assure these customers that our teams will not stop until every customer is restored as safely and as quickly as possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, the JPS CEO indicated that it is still too early to determine the full impact of the tropical storm on the electricity network.

“We are continuing our assessment and taking into consideration the fact that some parishes are still experiencing heavy rains from the outer bands of the system, even as it moves away from the island. More customers may lose supply as a result of the residual effects of the weather system, but our teams are ready to respond, as long as it is safe for them to work. We expect that by tomorrow, when the weather improves across all parishes, we will be able to give a broad projection of when we will be able to complete the restoration of service to all our customers,” he said. 

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