JAMAICA’S electricity demand climbed to its highest level so far this year on July 1, as higher temperatures pushed more usage on the national grid, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has confirmed.

The utility told the Jamaica Observer that peak demand reached 676.9 megawatts (MW) on July 1, up from 669.9MW on June 23. The increase came during the June-to-August period when Jamaica typically uses the most electricity, according to JPS.

The utility said it could confirm “a correlation between the increased demand and higher temperatures”, although it could not say whether air conditioning or other cooling appliances are driving the rise.

Jamaica’s highest electricity use has remained in the high-600MW range over the last three years, reaching 692MW in July 2023; 678MW in July 2024, the year Jamaica was affected by Hurricane Beryl; and 696MW in August 2025.

The 2026 peak remains below the 2023 and 2025 levels but is already close to the 2024 peak, with much of the summer still ahead.

The increase has implications for households and businesses. For households, the heat can mean longer use of fans and air conditioners. For businesses, it can mean higher operating costs as workplaces, commercial spaces, equipment and cold-storage areas have to be kept cool for longer.

JPS said all customer groups have used more electricity month over month as temperatures have risen. However, not all groups are using more than they did during the same period last year.

The company said this was partly because some households and businesses are still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, though it did not provide a more detailed breakdown.

Despite the increase, JPS said it expects to have enough capacity to meet summer demand.

The company also said its equipment is designed for Jamaica’s tropical conditions and that it is “not experiencing or anticipating any negative impact from the present temperature”.

Still, JPS said changing consumption patterns are becoming part of its planning.

“You may begin to see higher day and evening peaks and therefore have to plan accordingly,” the company said. “Hotter summers are certainly factored into the forecasts as heat tends to drive demand,” JPS added.

The utility said its climate-related planning also considers hydropower conditions, bush-fire risks, possible circuit relocation, and stronger and possibly more frequent hurricanes.

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica’s latest seasonal climate outlook points to a hotter period ahead, with above-normal temperatures expected from July to December as Jamaica moves through the April-to-October heat season. Warmer days and nights, the outlook said, could increase heat stress and cooling demand.

The highest probability of above-normal daytime temperatures is across western and central parishes. Warmer-than-normal nights are also likely in western parishes through December, and in central parishes from July to September.

In written responses to the Business Observer, the Met Service’s Climate Branch said late June and early July were also expected to be warmer than usual, with heat stress likely, especially on the southern plains and in urban areas.

The agency said 2026 is expected to be hotter than last year, mainly because of the likelihood of a strong El Niño weather pattern developing in the Pacific Ocean, which typically brings hotter and drier-than-normal conditions to Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.

“A noticeable increase in temperatures is expected, as several meteorological stations have already recorded unusually high temperatures, indicating the potential for a hotter-than-normal period,” the Met Service said.

The agency said heatwaves are possible when a station or location exceeds its daytime and night-time temperature thresholds for at least two consecutive days. No heatwaves had been recorded at the locations being monitored, but hot and very hot days were recorded at the two international airports, as well as Bodles and Passley Gardens in May and June.

You may begin to see higher day and evening peaks and therefore have to plan accordingly — JPS.

Heat data for four monitored stations also show repeated breaches of station-specific thresholds, particularly for night-time minimum temperatures, at three of the four stations.

Bodles recorded nine maximum-temperature exceedances between May 1 and July 1, while Passley Gardens recorded 28 minimum-temperature exceedances over the same period.

From April 1 to July 1, Norman Manley International Airport recorded 18 minimum-temperature exceedances, while Sangster International Airport recorded 11.

The figures suggest that warm nights, not only hot days, are part of the current heat pattern. That matters for electricity use because warmer nights can reduce the usual overnight relief, forcing households and businesses to run cooling systems for longer.

JPS said renewables, battery storage, smart meters and time-of-use pricing could help Jamaica manage higher electricity demand linked to cooling, although some options are not available to all customers.

Battery storage is especially important because sources such as solar are intermittent and may not be available when demand remains high in the evening and at night, the company said. JPS added that it already operates a hybrid energy storage system that can supplement supply when renewable generation falls.

Renewables can also reduce reliance on some thermal power plants when generation is located closer to customers, JPS said. However, the company noted that this changes where electricity is supplied from, rather than reducing demand itself.

Time-of-use pricing can help customers shift some electricity use to cheaper periods of the day or night, but the option is currently available only to some rate classes.

Smart meters could also support more advanced demand-management programmes in the future, including systems that help customers manage appliance use through software or special devices, the company said.

For households trying to control cooling costs, JPS advised customers to use air conditioning only long enough to cool a room, then use a fan to circulate the cool air. It also urged customers not to set AC units colder than necessary, and to use timers so they do not run all night.

The company also advised families to reduce frequent opening of refrigerator doors, especially with children at home during the summer.

JPS said these changes in customer behaviour, including the possibility of higher day and evening peaks, are now part of how it plans for future electricity use.

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