KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers in Port Royal and surrounding areas are likely to be without electricity supply for a while longer due to extensive damage to electrical underground cables by contractors working on behalf of the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ).

JPS said its teams have been carrying out excavation and testing of the cables throughout last night and today. The cables were damaged in multiple locations on Tuesday evening by the AAJ contractors.  

JPS noted that about one kilometre of electrical underground cable is involved.

“We are working assiduously to complete damage assessment and testing, and do the necessary repair work as quickly as possible,” Senior Vice President of Energy Delivery, Blaine Jarrett, said.

“However, the situation is even more challenging because a section of the cable runs in the flight path underground the runway at the airport. This has slowed down the process, and also prevents us from putting in a temporary overhead work-around to supply power to the affected customers,” he explained.

The company said it is unable to give an estimated time of restoration at this point but promised to continue working around the clock to resolve the situation.