THE Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) said its teams are continuing damage assessment and restoration work following widespread damage to the electricity infrastructure by weather conditions associated with Hurricane Sandy.

The utility said that while restoration is in progress right across the island, they are focusing the most attention on the eastern and north eastern parishes. 

"The entire parishes of Portland, St Thomas, St Mary and St Ann lost power yesterday as a result of damage to critical elements of the transmission system,” Winsome Callum, head of Corporate Communications at JPS said. 

 “Technical teams are working to repair the transmission infrastructure so that power can be restored to customers in these parishes. St Catherine, Kingston and St Andrew were also badly affected.”

She said about 50% of JPS customers were still without power as at 10 o’clock this morning, and that number is being reduced by the minute.

“We are making every effort to restore supply to most of our customers before the end of the day,” she said. 

“However, some customers in the most badly affected areas are likely to remain out a while longer, due to the extent of the damage and challenges getting into those areas.”

The company is also reminding persons to stay away from downed power lines and poles, and take every precaution to protect life and property.

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