The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) has activated its Disaster Assistance Programme (CDAP) to assist the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) in restoring power across the island in the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Melissa.

The activation follows extensive coordination between CARILEC, regional electric utilities, and private contracting firms to deploy lineworkers, materials, and critical equipment to Jamaica. The goal is to support the rebuilding of JPS’s transmission and distribution networks, which suffered massive damage during the Category 5 storm.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28, 2025, leaving over 70 percent of Jamaica’s electricity customers without power. According to JPS’s latest restoration update, as of November 10, electricity has been restored to 64 percent of customers, including 81 percent of major health facilities, 56 percent of telecommunication sites, and 58 percent of National Water Commission facilities.

To date, 17 regional utilities and two private contractors have joined forces under CDAP. A total of 131 lineworkers have already been deployed, with more teams expected to arrive in the coming days. Participating entities include:

Anguilla Electricity Company, Antigua Public Utilities Authority, Barbados Light & Power Company, Bahamas Power & Light, Belize Electricity Limited, British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation, Caribbean Utilities Company (Cayman Islands), Dominica Electricity Services, Grand Bahama Power Company, Guyana Power & Light, Grenada Electricity Services, Nevis Electricity Company, Pelican Energy (Turks & Caicos), St. Kitts Electricity Company, St. Lucia Electricity Services, St. Vincent Electricity Services, Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission, and private contractors Islandwide Electrical and Kings Electrical of Saint Lucia.

The initiative is being supported by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in partnership with the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (UKFCDO) to ensure efficient deployment and logistical coordination of resources.

CARILEC’s Executive Director, Dr. Cletus Bertin, expressed deep gratitude to the participating members and contractors, noting that CDAP represents the strength of regional cooperation.

“We’re extremely grateful to our members who have answered the call to support Jamaica,” Dr. Bertin said. “CDAP is founded on the spirit of mutual assistance. Our members contribute to a fund that allows for quick deployment of skilled manpower and resources to any utility impacted by disaster.”

Established in 1998, CDAP enables fast, coordinated response efforts across the region to restore electricity following hurricanes and other natural disasters. Many of the lineworkers currently in Jamaica received specialized training through CARILEC’s CDAP Expansion Programme, which focuses on rapid, safe, and efficient power restoration.

CARILEC also conducts annual technical training sessions and the Lineworkers Symposium and Rodeo — initiatives that build the capacity of electricity sector personnel who serve on the frontlines of energy restoration across the Caribbean.