KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has directed the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company Limited to restore electricity to all customers who were affected by Hurricane Beryl by August 12.

The directive took effect on July 31, 2024 and requires JPS to comply with the restoration dates it had previously provided.

According to the regulatory body, failure to comply with the directive will render JPS liable to enforcement action pursuant to Section 9 of the Office of Utilities Regulation Act.

Speaking on the directive, OUR Director-General Ansord Hewitt stated “we have conveyed to JPS in all our engagements that we expect that it will exercise all diligence to expedite restoration. At our last meeting with JPS on Monday, July 29, it assured us that all service would be fully restored by August 12 in the most critically damaged areas.”

“The OUR is satisfied that, at this point, enough time has elapsed for JPS to have fully grasped the extent and nature of the damage and disruption to its network, the available resources, and the practicable timeline for restoration. We therefore expect that these are achievable targets,” Hewitt continued.

The director general urged JPS to take every possible step, including the engagement of additional resources, to improve these timelines noting that many customers have been without electricity since July 3.

Meanwhile, commenting on the directive, Energy Minister Daryl Vaz said: “my position remains the same. JPS missed all the deadlines that they have given to me as minister and to the Cabinet and to the Government and I don’t see anything that they have done in terms of increasing their resources, human and otherwise, to be able to make the targets that they have now indicated. I am hoping and praying for the sake of suffering customers, but again seeing is believing.”