KINGSTON, Jamaica — As Melissa bore down on the island, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) moved into emergency mode, bringing in reinforcements from across the region and hardening critical sites in anticipation of widespread outages.
According to a Jamaica Information Service report from October 23, 31 line workers from regional utilities were already on the ground helping with pre-storm preparations, with about 60 more expected to arrive. The light and power company also added more than 115 specialised vehicles to its fleet for the recovery phase.
Lessons from Beryl
JPS President and Chief Executive Officer Hugh Grant said the company had introduced a new incident command structure after Hurricane Beryl in 2024, designed to streamline communication by giving staff clearly defined roles. The system includes dedicated liaison teams to coordinate in real time with municipal corporations, telecommunications providers and water utilities.
Backup power capable of running for 48 hours was installed at key control and telecommunications sites, and Starlink satellite systems were newly set up to keep lines of communication open if conventional networks failed. Mr Grant said the company was committed, positioned and resourced to respond.
Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said vegetation management and reinforcement of the grid had been stepped up, particularly along major transmission corridors in the western and eastern parishes. The utility warned, however, that ground already saturated by heavy rains raised the risk of falling poles and trees, and therefore of outages.
What it means for households
Even with stronger preparations, prolonged power cuts are likely after a major hurricane, and restoration typically starts with hospitals, water systems and main feeders before reaching individual streets. Homeowners should switch off main breakers if flooding threatens, keep well clear of downed lines, and ensure generators are installed with proper transfer switches to protect line crews. Property owners weighing upgrades after the storm may also want to consider solar with battery storage as a hedge against future grid disruptions.
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