KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has confirmed that some of its customers are now without electricity as a result of sustained rainfall and strong winds from Tropical Storm Rafael.

“It is much too early to determine the full impact of the tropical storm on the electricity network because we are still feeling the effects of the weather system,” said JPS President and Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Grant in a statement Tuesday morning.

“We have customers in several parishes currently without supply, mostly in the southern and western sections of the island. We intend to restore the affected customers as soon as it is safe to do so, and ask for patience as we move quickly into assessing and repairing the damage to the network,” he said.

Grant explained that while the company will do its best to restore power supply to customers as quickly as possible, safety will be a number one priority.

“Prior to the storm’s arrival, we activated our 24-hour Adverse Weather Incident Command operations to ensure safe and timely response to outages caused by the weather system. Crews and resources were moved into locations to allow for restoration to begin as soon as it is safe to do so. But it is possible that in some areas, the teams may not be able to respond immediately because of unsafe conditions,” he shared.

Grant added that the company is urging members of the public to stay away from fallen poles and downed power lines, and to assume that all lines are energised. He advised the public to make reports in such cases.

JPS customers are also being reminded not to pay anyone to reconnect their electricity supply, as this is done free of charge by JPS and its authorised agents.

“Paying unauthorised persons to reconnect your power puts you, your family and your property at risk. Report all such offers to us or the police,” Grant warned.

“We understand the inconvenience caused by the loss of power, and as we work to get your power back on as safely and quickly as possible, we commit to keeping you updated with information on the restoration activities promised,” he added.

Customers can make reports and get updates through the MyJPS Mobile App, social media channels @myjpsonline, and the JPS WhatsApp channel.