Additional Linemen Deployed as Electricity Restoration Continues in Westmoreland, St Elizabeth

Jamaica’s electricity restoration drive has received a further boost with the arrival of another group of Caribbean linemen, as the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) moves into the closing stages of recovery following the passage of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.

The latest contingent forms part of a coordinated regional response under a mutual assistance arrangement among Caribbean electric utilities. The effort is facilitated by the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC), which mobilises technical support across member states during major disasters.

This most recent group includes line workers from Barbados, Belize, Grand Bahama, Nevis, St Lucia and the US Virgin Islands. They have joined teams from 17 other Caribbean territories that were deployed shortly after the hurricane made landfall on October 28, 2025.

In addition to manpower, several countries — including Trinidad and Tobago, the Cayman Islands and Grand Bahama — have supplied bucket trucks and other specialised equipment to strengthen local restoration capabilities.

In a statement issued on Friday, JPS described the regional response as a strong demonstration of Caribbean unity, noting that the early mobilisation of regional partners, along with ongoing support from North American contractors, has played a critical role in addressing the extensive damage to the electricity network.

According to the power company, more than 100 Caribbean linemen are now on the ground assisting with recovery efforts. Additional personnel have come from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Curaçao.

JPS explained that restoration efforts are now focused on what it terms the “last mile,” a phase marked by difficult terrain and widely dispersed rural communities, where significant work may result in fewer customer reconnections.

Despite the challenges, the company has reassured customers still without electricity that all efforts remain directed toward restoring service in the shortest possible time, while maintaining safety standards.