Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer
Thomas Dorsey (right), senior vice-president of customer operations at the Jamaica Public Service Company, addresses journalists at an emergency press briefing yesterday at the company's New Kingston offices. At left is Tony Rae, director of external affairs. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
PRIME MINISTER Portia Simpson Miller has ordered an investigation into Saturday's islandwide electricity blackout.
She made that disclosure yesterday while speaking at the 81st Annual National Convention for the New Testament Church of God held at the church's conference centre in Old Harbour, St. Catherine.
According to the Prime Minister, "I have mandated an investigation into the matter as I think it is an issue that the Jamaican public needs to know why the whole island was plunged into darkness. We need answers."
TOTAL DARKNESS
The island was left in darkness about 4:15 p.m. Saturday following a shutdown of the entire power system, leaving some Jamaicans without power for nearly 10 hours.
In an emergency press briefing held yesterday evening at the JPS's New Kingston head offices, Thomas Dorsey, senior vice-president of customer operations, told journalists that its investigations have so far shown that a trip on the 69 kilo volt Bogue-Duncans Transmis-sion line in St. James and a voltage collapse on major parts of its power system were what led to the disruption.
A loss of power from the independent power companies, the Jamaica Private Power Company and Jamaica Energy Partners from whom the JPS would normally get back-up supply caused from a trip on their system also played a part in the electricity disruption.
INVESTIGATION
"Our priority now is to complete an investigation in the shortest possible time, while ensuring that we keep the lights on for our customers," Dorsey said. The investigation will involve thorough examination of the sequence of events, Dorsey said, in order to determine the cause of the failure.
The company could not say when investigations would be completed.
JPS has been having a number of load-shedding exercises.
