THE JAMAICA Public Service (JPS), the electricity utility company, says its teams should be completing a survey of the island today, to assess the damage done by Hurricane Ivan.

The teams, which began implementing the company's restoration plan on Saturday afternoon, are inspecting damage to transmission and distribution systems and structural damage to its electricity generators islandwide. The full assessment of damage was expected to take up to 48 hours.

Winsome Callum, corporate communications manager of the JPS, said the assessment was the first and most critical stage in a three-step plan. After a full assessment of the damage was done, then repairs would be made. After that, power lines will be energised. She urged the public to be patient as the process could be lengthy.

TIME-CONSUMING PROCESS

"The process will be very time-consuming. Safety is our first priority because the last thing we want to do is energise lines that are lying outside someone's gate, for example, and then their child goes outside and touches it," she explained.

With regard to restoration of electricity, priority is to be given to essential services such as hospitals, airports, communication systems, water supply facilities, and police and fire stations. Some of these should have received electricity last night. Ms. Callum said that once those areas were supplied, then power would be gradually restored to commercial and residential customers.

Yesterday, the utility company said that even its customer service offices were affected by the passage of Hurricane Ivan. The offices will be closed until further notice to facilitate assessment of building conditions and to expedite the service restoration process.

DISCONNECT GENERATORS

The JPS is advising customers who have emergency generators to disconnect them from breaker panels or electrical outlets. This is to avoid 'backfeeds' to the power system, which can injure JPS personnel working on the line. Appliances should either be plugged directly into the generator or connected via extension cords. Customers are urged to turn off their breaker panels to avoid power surges as the electricity is restored.

Back to Lead Stories

Go-Jamaica | Jamaica Star | Go-Local Jamaica | Sports Jamaica | Letters to the Editor