DETERMINED to avoid a repeat of last year’s post-storm frustrations, Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) says it has adopted a new “game-changing” incident command structure aimed at delivering faster and safer power restoration, while other major utilities — Flow, Digicel, and the National Water Commission (NWC) — have declared full readiness as the country braces for Tropical Storm Melissa.

Speaking at a special press briefing on Thursday, JPS President and CEO Hugh Grant said the new system was built on lessons learnt after Hurricane Beryl sideswiped the island in July 2024, and was already tested during a smaller weather event earlier this year.

“We implemented a new incident command structure post-Beryl and what does that do for us? One, it streamlines communication by having clear rules and responsibilities for our personnel,” Grant explained.

“The other key thing that it does is, it has an arm that’s a liaison arm to communicate with key stakeholders. So what does that look like for us? We have an arm that’s dedicated to the municipal corporation whereby we’ll be getting the window and the lens of what’s happening locally within the parish councils, and their disaster response and emergency agencies, [and we’ll be able to ] bring that into our incident command to inform our response,” Grant added.

He said the company’s command centres are fully activated and crews are on standby across the island, including overseas workers brought in as part of mutual aid arrangements.

“We are expecting in the order of 60 additional line workers to augment and bolster our internal workforce. Just by order of magnitude, that’s upward of 30 per cent,” he revealed.

“We are not waiting on a storm, wait until the aftermath and then determine resources. We have pre-emptively utilised our models and brought boots on the ground from day one.”

Grant added that JPS has equipped critical control and telecommunications sites with 48-hour backup power and Starlink satellite systems to maintain communications if local networks fail. The company has also intensified vegetation management, clearing over 7,000 kilometres of power lines well ahead of schedule.

Grant, however, cautioned that despite the preparations, power interruptions are inevitable.

“With all that being said let us be frank: We have faced multiple weeks of significant rainfall. What does that mean for us? The ground is saturated. Saturated ground combined with increased rainfall in the order of six to 12 inches, plus wind sustained in the order of 50 miles per hour, increases the likelihood of power outages. So, I’m standing here to let you know the lights are going to go out so let us plan for the lights going out,” he warned.

However, he assured that JPS was “positioned, resourced and ready” to begin restoration work as soon as it was safe to do so.

In the meantime, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz commended JPS for taking a more proactive approach this year, noting that the utility appears to have “learnt the lessons” from Hurricane Beryl’s disruptions.

“I can see that JPS is being proactive. And I know he [JPS President Hugh Grant] and I will be having several conversations between now and whenever the event [occurs], as I know that he would not like for he and I to have the same words that I had last year this time with [regards to] Beryl,” said Vaz.

He, however, used the briefing to warn against poor waste management practices during tree line-clearing exercises by contractors, saying debris dumping has worsened flooding in several communities.

“I’m asking you please, Sir, as a matter of duty today, to make sure that those areas are inspected and satisfactorily signed off by JPS, and [that you do] not [rely] on those contractors who have a habit of finding the shortest route to make the best and the most money,” Vaz said, calling for “zero tolerance” for such behaviour.

Meanwhile, telecommunications company Flow Jamaica has activated its emergency operations centre and says it is, “very prepared”, to maintain connectivity during and after Tropical Storm Melissa.

Vice-President and General Manager Stephen Price said the company has conducted extensive readiness drills with JPS, Digicel, and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

“We have been at this for years. I will say to you, I think this year is probably the best year for us as a combined utility group… so, we are very, very prepared from that perspective.”

Price explained that Flow has strengthened its infrastructure significantly since last year’s hurricane season, focusing on hardening vulnerable sites and boosting backup capacity.

“From a power perspective, while we work with our partners we do have backup supply for about 61 per cent of our mobile sites at this present point in time,” he said.

“We have hardened some of the most vulnerable groups… and we have taken some of those underground in terms of Mandeville, Porus, Sandy Bay — a number of areas have gone underground in terms of that kind of infrastructure. So it’s not aerial anymore, so it’s less vulnerable to those kind of challenges,” Price explained.

He also assured customers that Flow would pause service disconnections during the storm period and prioritise fairness in its billing practices, noting that maintaining access and stability during the crisis is essential.

“…[B]ut we encourage you to continue to pay as you do, because that’s how we keep the machinery running”, Price said with a smile.

Telecoms rival Digicel has also ramped up its storm preparedness, forming a dedicated disaster response core team and ensuring redundancy across its network to minimise service disruptions.

Public Relations Manager Brithney Clarke noted that Digicel has, “strengthened communication redundancy with satellite phones and back-up connectivity to other providers”, while confirming that all generators have been refuelled and serviced.

Clarke added that Digicel would continue monitoring its systems closely to ensure fairness and accuracy in customer billing during and after the storm.

“We don’t want to see any exorbitant bills, especially where there are prolonged service disruptions. So if we have to provide any write-offs, any credits or bill payments, we will implement those measures where necessary,” she said.

Flow Jamaica Vice-President and General Manager Stephen Price speaking at Thursday’s news conference at Jamaica House.

Public relations manager at Digicel Brithney Clarke addressing Thursday’s news conference on approaching Tropical Storm Melissa, at Jamaica House.