By Francine Black, Staff ReporterHIT BY lightning, failing generators, and a cut in its back-up power supply, the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited has been forced to develop a new system of load-shedding to cope with demand.
But yesterday, the company said the phased power outages will cease for now, having fixed the mechanical problems that developed on Sunday on its B6 unit, located at Hunts Bay, St. Andrew.
The Old Harbour generator, however, remains out of commission until December when a $150 million repair programme is scheduled to be completed on the unit. The utility company warned that as long as such a major unit is down, further load-shedding was possible.
DAILY APOLOGIES
Electricity supplies have been curtailed by the company right across Jamaica, which has been issuing almost daily apologies to various parishes for the "inconvenience."
Yesterday, Winsome Callum, head of corporate communications, said some of the power fluctuations experienced this week resulted from lightning strikes on some of its lines, which the company could not totally safeguard against.
"Jamaica suffers from some of the most intense lightning strikes and despite the safeguards, we cannot always prevent the interferences," she told The Gleaner.
The company also lost its usual supply from independent producer, Jamaica Energy Partners, which was also facing similar problems.
The most recent load-sheddings extended over Monday and Tuesday for as long as three to four hours in some communities.
